Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made it clear where Biden stands on the issue of gas cookers
The White House said Wednesday that President Joe Biden does not support banning natural gas stoves after a federal consumer safety official suggested that such a proposal was on the table from the Administration.
“The president does not support a ban on gas stoves,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Wednesday’s briefing. “And the independent Consumer Product Safety Commission is not banning gas stoves. I just want to be very clear on that.”
The White House response followed a recent Bloomberg interview with Biden-appointed Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr., who called home appliances a “hidden danger” and said “any choice is over.” the table” in relation to its regulation.
“Products that cannot be made safe can be banned,” Trumka added. In addition to a ban, other options include “setting standards on emissions from household appliances,” Trumka said.
Every kitchen creates some form of air pollution. But gas stoves burn natural gas, a mixture of methane and other chemicals. Pollutants from gas stoves have been linked to asthma and worsening respiratory problems.
Thanks for your interest!
To be clear, CPSC isn't coming for anyone's gas stoves. Regulations apply to new products.
For Americans who CHOOSE to switch from gas to electric, there is support available – Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act which includes a $840 rebate. https://t.co/fcmWMSSfE5
— Commissioner Rich Trumka Jr. (@TrumkaCPSC) January 9, 2023
Approximately 35% of homes in the United States have gas stoves, which reportedly release carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other substances that the World Health Organization and the EPA consider unsafe because they can cause cardiovascular problems, cancer and other health conditions.
Trumka had been trying to quell the storm since Monday. “To be clear, the C.P.S.C. not coming for anyone’s gas stoves,” he wrote on Twitter, adding that any regulation would apply to new products.
However, Republican lawmakers were quick to seize on comments from Trumka, a Biden candidate, arguing that Biden and government bureaucrats were coming for American stoves.
The CPSC, the agency responsible for managing the safety of US consumer products, won’t ban gas stoves or even propose regulations on them any time soon.