House Repeals Biden-Era Energy Efficiency Rules for Commercial Fridges

Supporters see the regulation rollback as a boon to restaurants, pharmacies, convenience stores, and more.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington on March 10, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The House voted on March 27 to overturn Biden-era regulations setting energy efficiency standards for walk-in fridges, freezers, and coolers.

Five Democrats joined all 209 Republicans as the House voted 214-193 to repeal commercial refrigeration standards imposed in December. The repeal was in accordance with the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to scrap rules submitted within the past 60 legislative days.

The House also passed a resolution to repeal commercial refrigeration standards put in place three years ago. Six Democrats joined all 197 Republicans in voting for that measure.

In a statement, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio), chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, said the rules were costly and unnecessary “for businesses and families while failing to provide cost savings or increasing food safety.”

The measures were introduced by Reps. Craig Goldman (R-Texas) and Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.).

“Walk-in coolers and freezers are essential for pharmacies, convenience stores, food processing facilities, food banks, restaurants, and many other establishments nationwide,” said Bice in the same statement. “This regulation, which had an estimated cost of a billion dollars, would have been crippling for businesses throughout the country, especially in rural areas. We must continue to push back against federal overreach, and I appreciate the support of my colleagues on this critical measure.”

When publishing the rules in December, the Department of Energy said that the new standards for the units “would result in significant conservation of energy and are technologically feasible and economically justified.” The regulation took effect on Feb. 21.

Ahead of the vote, Democrats expressed opposition on the House floor.

“It’s baffling to me that amid skyrocketing electricity costs, the highest they’ve been since the 1990s, we are talking about overturning common-sense energy efficiency standards,” said Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.).

Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) said the resolutions would make it “harder for business owners to save money through energy-efficient appliances.”

The resolutions exemplify the Trump administration and the GOP’s efforts to cut regulations.

According to the White House, the cost of the regulations enacted by the Biden administration was $2 billion, “dramatically increasing costs for everyday working people and businesses—and left billions of dollars more in proposed rules still in the pipeline.” Under the current administration, for every new regulation, 10 regulations must be cut.

The resolutions go to the Senate, where just a simple majority is needed as they are not subject to the 60-vote filibuster threshold that applies to most measures in the upper chamber.