Ben Lieberman

3 weeks ago | cei.org | Ben Lieberman

Lobbyists for the companies hoping to cash in on the many alternative energy subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are crying foul now that the recently-passed House budget reconciliation bill pares back several of the biggest handouts. But none of their defenses of these market-distorting giveaways holds water.

1 month ago | cei.org | Ben Lieberman |Devin Watkins

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released new rules on appliance energy and water limits Friday that agreed with the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s (CEI) statutory interpretation of DOE’s lack of statutory authority to limit water use in appliances, a major victory for consumers. In a lawsuit against DOE on behalf of individual consumers, CEI argued that department-mandated water limits for clothes washers and dishwashers were unlawful because they exceeded the limits set by Congress.

1 month ago | cei.org | Ben Lieberman

Congressional Republicans were unanimous in their opposition to the Green New Deal when it was introduced in 2019, and for very good reason given that it would waste vast sums of tax dollars foisting unwanted and uneconomic energy choices on us all. And when these expensive climate provisions became law in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), they did so without a single congressional Republican vote in support.

2 months ago | cei.org | Ben Lieberman

President Trump is taking another pro-consumer step, this time on showerheads. His April 9th executive order, Maintaining Acceptable Water Pressure in Showerheads, reinstates his 2020 regulatory reform efforts that were derailed during the Biden years. It’s a good start, but the president needs to work with Congress on legislation to provide comprehensive and permanent relief for showerheads as well as other appliances harmed by federal regulations.

2 months ago | cei.org | Ben Lieberman

Today the U.S. Senate voted on a joint resolution to repeal a Biden-era Energy Department rule imposing unwarranted energy efficiency restrictions on consumer water heaters. CEI expert Ben Lieberman praised Congress for stopping a policy that would have undermined the interests of countless consumers. Statement by Ben Lieberman, CEI senior fellow:“Today is a good day for consumer freedom now that the Senate has voted to repeal a restrictive Biden-era regulation targeting water heaters.