Manufacturers Call on Congress to Modernize 50-Year-Old Appliance and Equipment Energy Standards Law

A coalition of leading manufacturing associations, including the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); the Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International; the American Lighting Association (ALA), the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM); the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM); the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM); and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is urging Congress to act on critical modernizations aimed at protecting consumer choice and affordability of home appliances and commercial equipment. As manufacturers of consumer appliances, critical grid infrastructure, and advanced commercial and industrial equipment, we commend lawmakers for efforts to make changes to the outdated Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) with a common-sense approach that better aligns with modern market realities. This coalition believes now is the time for Congress to amend EPCA’s regulatory framework to better reflect a twenty-first century marketplace and provide American manufacturers and business with the certainty and predictability they need to continue to contribute to an American manufacturing boom.

Together, the associations urge the Senate to continue efforts to improve the 50-year-old EPCA in light of decades of progress, manufacturer innovation and investment, and the need for consumer choice and affordability and a predictable, national marketplace for appliances and equipment.

Manufacturers have made dramatic improvements over the past 50 years in appliance and equipment efficiency, and EPCA’s current practice of updating standards based on a relatively brief passage of time, rather than on opportunities for real energy efficiency gains is, for many products, generating greatly diminished returns that now result in only negligible energy and cost savings for consumers. Despite these meager returns, however, manufacturers are still forced to shoulder significant costs just to comply with the law. We urge Congress to take action to modernize EPCA in a way that maintains national consistency and protects consumers nationwide from potential tradeoffs in features, choice, and affordability.

House Energy and Commerce Committee hearings in 2025 drew attention to this issue, and we look forward to working with Chairman Lee and Ranking Member Heinrich on improving and advancing critical legislation to ensure affordability and predictability for American consumers and businesses.

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.

AMCA is a not-for-profit association of manufacturers of fans, dampers, louvers, air curtains, and other air-system components for commercial HVAC, industrial-process, and power-generation applications. With programs such as product testing and certification, laboratory accreditation, and international-standards development, its mission is to advance the knowledge, growth, and integrity of the movement and control industry on behalf of more than 400 member companies worldwide.

ALA is a trade association representing the lighting, ceiling fan, and controls industries. It serves the largest network of residential lighting manufacturers, retail showrooms, manufacturers’ representative, designers, and industry affiliates located throughout the United States and Canada, with a growing international membership presence. The residential lighting industry supports tens of thousands of American jobs and contributes significantly to the U.S. economy through design, manufacturing, distribution, and retail.

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.

NAFEM is a trade association of more than 500 commercial foodservice equipment and supply manufacturers – a $17 billion industry. These businesses, their employees, and the products they manufacture, support the food-away-from-home market – which includes more than one million locations in the U.S. and countless more around the world.

NAM is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing manufacturers of all sizes, in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing drives American prosperity—the industry employs 13 million people in the U.S., contributes $2.94 trillion annually to the U.S. economy and accounts for nearly 53% of all private sector research and development in the nation.

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 580,000 American jobs, adding more than $330 billion to the U.S. economy. Learn more at makeitelectric.org.

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