WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 27, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, commends lawmakers for passing H.J. Res. 20. NFIB sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives in support of the resolution, which if enacted will repeal the Department of Energy’s (DOE) rule increasing energy efficiency standards for consumer gas-fired instantaneous water heaters. This rule would effectively ban certain natural gas-fired water heaters, increasing costs and limiting choices for consumers and small businesses. H.J. Res. 20 was considered an NFIB Key Vote for the 119^th Congress.

“Small businesses believe that consumers and business owners should have the freedom to decide which product works best for their specific needs, no matter what fuel source the product uses,” said Adam Temple, NFIB Senior Vice President for Advocacy. “Unfortunately, DOE finalized a rule that would set new arbitrary energy efficiency standards for natural gas-fired water heaters that would effectively ban more affordable appliance options for consumers and small businesses, such as tankless water heaters.

“According to one estimate, this regulation could eliminate 40% of the natural gas-fired water heaters on the market. Consumers and small businesses who currently have a tankless water heater could be forced to purchase a more expensive and less efficient condensing water heater to comply with the regulation.”

“As small businesses continue to list inflation as a significant problem, regulations restricting or banning common household appliances will only increase costs for small businesses. We are glad lawmakers in the House passed H.J. Res. 20 to address this regulatory burden on Main Street.”

Read the full letter of support to Members of Congress here.

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For 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses, and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.