Scalise Highlights Potential CRA Targets

Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following list of rules House Republicans are prioritizing as potential targets for CRA legislation in the coming weeks. In addition to these rules, the Leader will be looking at more potential CRAs as we continue to fight to undo the damage done by the Biden Administration.

• California Clean Air Act Waiver (EPA):
  • This rule, which grants waivers to allow California to preempt federal car and truck air emissions standards, has resulted in higher vehicle prices for consumers, increased costs and manufacturing complexities for automakers, and a more complicated regulatory environment.
• Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems (EPA):
  • The Inflation Reduction Act required the Environmental Protection Agency to issue this rulemaking that imposes a significant fee (Waste Emissions Charge) on methane emissions from oil and natural gas facilities that exceed specific levels of methane emissions. The fee is a pass-through cost to consumers that will raise prices, reduce domestic energy production, and increase reliance on foreign energy sources.
• Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters (DOE):
  • This rule effectively bans certain natural gas water heaters from the market, placing financial burdens on consumers, particularly seniors and low-income households, and threatening consumer choice. 
• General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications (CFPB):
  • This rule allows the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to regulate non-bank entities that complete 50 million digital consumer transactions per year, affecting those that provide fund transfer and digital wallet transactions through digital apps like Venmo and contactless payments. The rule could place additional burdens on small businesses that use digital payments by requiring them to comply with these regulations.
• Digital Asset Sales (IRS):
  • This rule requires brokers to report gross proceeds from crypto sales and other digital asset transactions, including data about the taxpayers involved. The rule increases tax filing burdens, stifles innovation, and raises privacy concerns over the sharing of taxpayers’ personal information.
• Energy Conservation-Appliance Standards, Certification and Labeling (DOE):
  • This rule expands certification and labeling for the Department of Energy's conservation standards program, which could slow the introduction of products to market, reduce options for consumers, and affect supply chains and inventories.
• OCSLA Oil and Gas Sulfur Operations: High Pressure, High Temperature (Interior):
  • This rule imposes new regulations on equipment used in high pressure, high temperature offshore drilling environments, increasing burdens on energy operations and in turn raising costs for consumers and reducing American energy independence. 
• NESHAP for Rubber Tire Manufacturing (EPA):
  • This rule establishes new emissions standards for rubber tire manufacturing, increasing compliance costs for the industry and placing a heavier financial burden on smaller businesses, which will result in higher prices for consumers. 
• Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources (BOEM):
  • This rule requires oil and gas lessees and operators to submit an archaeological report for certain exploration or development activities on the Outer Continental Shelf to protect marine archeological resources like shipwrecks and so-called "cultural resources," blocking increases in domestic energy production, weakening energy independence, and raising costs for consumers.
• Commission Guidance Regarding the Listing of Voluntary Carbon Credit Derivative Contracts (CFTC):
  • This rule establishes a voluntary market to buy and sell "carbon credits" to offset emissions, prioritizing political activism goals like environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and Net Zero, instead of reducing emissions.