H.J.Res. 20: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Energy relating to "Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters".

Introduced Jan 15, 202529 cosponsors

Sponsor

Gary Palmer

Republican · AL-6

Bill Progress

IntroducedJan 15

Committee

Pass HouseFeb 27

Pass SenateApr 10

SignedMay 9

LawMay 9

Latest Action · May 9, 2025

1/3

Became Public Law No: 119-6.

Congress killed the DOE water heater rule before it took effect

Why it matters

29 cosponsors. The Department of Energy published new efficiency standards for gas tankless water heaters on December 26, 2024. H.J.Res. 20 uses the Congressional Review Act to wipe the rule out entirely — keeping current models on the market and blocking DOE from issuing a similar rule without new legislation.

H.J.Res. 20 overturns one specific Department of Energy rule covering consumer gas-fired instantaneous water heaters — better known as gas tankless water heaters.

The practical effect is simple: the December 26, 2024 DOE standard is treated as if it never took effect. Manufacturers do not have to follow that particular federal rule, and regulators cannot enforce it.

What does H.J.Res. 20 do?

DOE's 2024 tankless water heater rule is canceled

H.J.Res. 20 disapproves the Department of Energy rule on consumer gas-fired instantaneous water heaters that was published on December 26, 2024.

That rule is treated as having no effect

The resolution says the targeted DOE rule has no force or effect, so it cannot be enforced.

Gas tankless water heaters are the products at issue

The resolution applies only to consumer gas-fired instantaneous water heaters, not every water heater sold in the U.S.

No replacement standard is created

Congress blocked the DOE rule but did not put a new federal efficiency standard in its place.

The rule was identified with precision

The resolution names the DOE rule directly and points to its Federal Register publication, leaving little ambiguity about what was canceled.

Who benefits from H.J.Res. 20?

People shopping for gas tankless water heaters

You may continue seeing models on the market that might have been affected by the canceled DOE rule.

Manufacturers of covered water heaters

Companies that make consumer gas-fired instantaneous water heaters no longer have to comply with that specific December 2024 federal standard.

Distributors, contractors, and installers

Businesses that sell and install these units can keep working with products that remain available under the pre-rule landscape.

Who is affected by H.J.Res. 20?

Department of Energy

The agency lost the specific water-heater rule Congress targeted, and it cannot enforce that standard.

Federal regulators

Officials cannot use the canceled DOE rule as the basis for compliance or enforcement actions.

Efficiency advocates and groups that supported stricter standards

They do not get the December 2024 rule's requirements because Congress voided that rule.

Water-heater manufacturers planning around the 2024 rule

Companies that were preparing for the DOE standard now face a different regulatory picture because that rule is gone.

On the Record

What Congress Said

H.J.Res. 20 was signed into law on May 20, 2025.

Mr. President, the following Senators join me in this statement: Tim Scott, Bill Hagerty, Marsha Blackburn, Thom Tillis, Ted Budd, and John Boozman. The day after Christmas, when both Houses of Congress were in recess, the Biden administration released a final rule setting new energy efficiency standards for tankless water heaters. Like any last-minute rule from the previous administration, this effort was ill-advised and ill-timed. It should not, and cannot, stand. However, the enactment of H.J. Res.

Lindsey Graham(R–SC)·Apr 10, 2025·Senate

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 20, the second Republican resolution in just 2 days that will raise energy prices on Americans. This harmful resolution guts a Department of Energy efficiency rule on gas instantaneous, or tankless, water heaters. Energy efficiency standards, like the one Republicans are going after today, are a popular, commonsense tool to save Americans money on their energy bills.

Frank Pallone(D–NJ)·Feb 27, 2025·House

Madam Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Palmer) for his leadership on this resolution, and I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 20. Madam Speaker, H.J. Res. 20 is a resolution authorized by the Congressional Review Act that will enable our Congress to repeal a job- killing regulation that would ban and eliminate noncondensing tankless water heaters, an American product made by blue-collar American workers in the heart of my congressional district in Georgia.

Brian Jack(R–GA)·Feb 27, 2025·House

Mr. Speaker, on December 26, while American families were enjoying the holidays, the Biden administration's Department of Energy issued a final rule once again, setting cost prohibitive energy conservation standards for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters. Today, the House will consider the gentleman from Alabama's Sixth District's legislation, H.J. Res. 20, to overturn this egregious standard.

Robert E. Latta(R–OH)·Feb 27, 2025·House

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the budget resolution, which I support, I rise today in support of the rule for H.J. Res. 20, a resolution authorized by the Congressional Review Act that will enable our Congress to repeal a job-killing Biden administration regulation that would ban and eliminate noncondensing tankless water heaters, an American product made by blue-collar American workers in the heart of my congressional district in Georgia.

Brian Jack(R–GA)·Feb 25, 2025·House

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation. Last night, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 161, providing for the House's consideration of several pieces of legislation, including a closed rule for H. Con. Res. 14, the budget resolution.

Erin Houchin(R–IN)·Feb 25, 2025·House

H.J.Res. 20 also appeared in 1 more House floor reference, 1 more Senate floor reference, and 11 routine cosponsor filings.

HJRES20 Legislative Journey

7 actions

Signed into Law

May 9, 2025

119-6

Became Public Law No: 119-6.

+5 more actions this day

Passed 53-44

Apr 10, 2025

53-44

Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 44. Record Vote Number: 207.

+3 more actions this day

Action Taken

Apr 9, 2025

Measure laid before Senate by motion. (consideration: CR S2506)

Sent to Senate

Mar 3, 2025

Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 17.

House: Passed 221-198

Feb 27, 2025

221-198

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 221 - 198, 2 Present (Roll no. 53). (text: CR H884)

+6 more actions this day

House: Committee Action

Feb 25, 2025

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 161 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 20, H.J. Res. 35 and H. Con. Res. 14. The resolution provides for consideration of two joint resolutions, H.J.Res.20, under a closed rule and H.J.Res. 35, under a closed rule. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of H. Con. Res. 14, under a closed rule. The joint resolutions are debatable for one hour each and the concurrent resolution is debatable for 3 hours.

House: Committee Action

Jan 15, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

About the Sponsor

Gary Palmer

Republican, Alabama's 6th congressional district · 11 years in Congress

Committees: Energy and Commerce, Oversight and Government Reform

View full profile →

Cosponsors at time of passage (29)

All 29 cosponsors are Republicans. Cosponsors represent 19 states: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, and 16 more.

29Republicans·19 states

Eric Burlison

Republican · MO

Julia Letlow

Republican · LA

Mike Collins

Republican · GA

Randy Weber

Republican · TX

Stephanie Bice

Republican · OK

Barry Moore

Republican · AL

Andrew Ogles

Republican · TN

Claudia Tenney

Republican · NY

Russ Fulcher

Republican · ID

Jack Bergman

Republican · MI

Dan Crenshaw

Republican · TX

Michelle Fischbach

Republican · MN

Committee Sponsors

Energy and Commerce Committee

24D30R

|7 signed47 others

7 of 54 committee members cosponsored at the time

H.J.Res. 20 Quick Facts

Cosponsors

+24 more

Committee: Energy and Commerce
Chamber: House
Policy: Energy
Introduced: Jan 15, 2025

Became Public Law No: 119-6.

May 9, 2025

Constituent Resources

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Official Sources

H.J.Res. 20 on Congress.gov

Official congressional page for H.J.Res. 20, including status, text, and Public Law information.

DOE Appliance and Equipment Standards Program

DOE program page covering federal energy conservation standards for appliances, including water heaters.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations — 10 CFR Part 430

Current federal regulations for energy conservation of consumer products, the regulatory framework that includes water heater efficiency standards.

Federal Register

Official daily journal where the targeted DOE water heater rule was published on December 26, 2024.

GovInfo — Public and Private Laws

Official repository for slip laws and enacted public laws, relevant because H.J.Res. 20 became Public Law 119-6.

U.S. House — Title 5, Chapter 8 of the U.S. Code

Official U.S. Code page for the Congressional Review Act chapter cited in the resolution text.

DOE Building Technologies Office

DOE office overseeing building appliance efficiency work, including rulemakings affecting water heaters.

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H.J.Res. 20 Common Questions

What does H.J.Res. 20 do?

It cancels one Department of Energy rule on consumer gas-fired instantaneous water heaters. The targeted December 26, 2024 rule has no force or effect.

Is H.J.Res. 20 already law?

Yes. According to Congress.gov, H.J.Res. 20 became Public Law 119-6 on May 9, 2025.

Which products are affected by H.J.Res. 20?

Consumer gas-fired instantaneous water heaters — commonly called gas tankless water heaters. The resolution does not apply to every water heater.

Does H.J.Res. 20 create a new efficiency standard?

No. It only blocks the DOE rule Congress targeted. It does not replace that rule with a new federal standard.

What happens to the DOE rule if H.J.Res. 20 passes?

In this case, it already passed. The rule is treated as having no force or effect, so regulators cannot enforce that specific standard.

Which DOE rule did Congress block?

The rule titled "Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters," published December 26, 2024.

Does H.J.Res. 20 affect what manufacturers have to do?

Yes. Manufacturers of covered gas tankless water heaters no longer have to comply with the specific DOE rule that H.J.Res. 20 canceled.

Based on H.J.Res. 20 bill text

H.J.Res. 20 Bill Text

“Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Energy relating to “Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters”.”

Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office

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