Washington, D.C. (August 6, 2026) - A coalition of leading manufacturing associations, including the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), is urging Congress to modernize the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to better protect consumer choice, affordability, and American manufacturing.
As manufacturers of consumer appliances, critical grid infrastructure, and advanced commercial and industrial equipment, we commend lawmakers for advancing this common-sense approach to updating EPCA. Modernizing the law will better reflect today's marketplace while providing manufacturers with the certainty and predictability they need to continue investing in U.S. production, innovation and jobs.
This week, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced an EPCA modernization bill. We greatly appreciate Chairman Lee’s efforts and his ongoing stakeholder engagement during this process. We look forward to continuing work with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to strengthen and advance critical legislation to ensure affordability and predictability for American consumers and businesses.
Over the past five decades, manufacturers have made significant advances in appliance and equipment efficiency, helping to reduce household energy bills. Today, EPCA’s requirement to revisit energy efficiency standards on a fixed timetable — rather than when meaningful opportunities for real energy efficiency gains are available — is producing diminished returns. In many cases, those returns do not produce meaningful cost savings for consumers. At the same time, negligible increases in efficiency impose substantial compliance costs on manufacturers.
Congress has an opportunity to modernize EPCA in a way that preserves a uniform national marketplace, protects consumer choice, maintains product affordability, and continues to encourage meaningful efficiency improvements where they deliver real value to Americans.
This coalition appreciates the Committee’s attention to updating the half-century-old statute to reflect decades of technological innovation, manufacturing investment, and changes in the marketplace. We urge Congress to seize this opportunity to enact thoughtful, bipartisan reforms that benefit both consumers and American manufacturers.
About Us
AHRI represents more than 330 manufacturers of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) and water heating equipment. It is an internationally recognized advocate for the HVACR industry and certifies the performance of many of the products manufactured by its members. In North America, the annual economic activity resulting from the HVACR industry is more than $211 billion. In the United States alone, AHRI member companies, along with distributors, contractors, and technicians employ more than 700,000 people.
AHAM represents more than 150 member companies that manufacture 90% of the major, portable and floor care appliances shipped for sale in the U.S. Home appliances are the heart of the home, and AHAM members provide safe, innovative, sustainable and efficient products that enhance consumers’ lives. The home appliance industry is a significant segment of the economy, measured by the contributions of home appliance manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers to the U.S. economy. In all, the industry drives nearly $200 billion in economic output throughout the U.S. and manufactures products with a factory shipment value of more than $50 billion.
NEMA represents over 300 electrical equipment manufacturers that make safe, reliable, and efficient products and technologies that power, connect, and light our world. Together, our members contribute a full 1% of U.S. GDP and directly provide over 590,000 American jobs, adding more than $375 billion to the U.S. economy. Learn more at makeitelectric.org.
