Press Releases

Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) and Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins urging an extension of compliance deadlines for newly implemented federal energy code mandates that could significantly drive up housing costs during a historic unaffordability crisis.

“This Biden era energy mandate is yet another example of federal overreach that hurt hardworking Americans in the housing market,” said Congressman Alford. “We are already facing an affordability crisis, and these costly mandates only make it worse. Extending the compliance deadlines is the first step in ensuring that housing policy remains focused on accessibility and affordability—not burdensome regulations.”

“A recent study found that 53% of Americans feel they will never be able to afford a home,” said Congressman Mann. “President Biden’s policies only worsened those fears and put homeownership further out of reach for hardworking Americans with costly regulations and his Green New Deal energy agenda. By extending the compliance deadline, USDA has more time to assess the impact and consequences of these costly regulations. At the heart of the American dream is the ability to work hard, provide for your family, and create a safe, stable home and Congress should do everything in our power to keep that in reach for hardworking American families.”

Read the full letter to Secretary Rollins here.

Read key excerpts from the letter below:

“We write to express our deep concern regarding the April 26, 2024, final determination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requiring all newly constructed single-family and multifamily housing financed by your agency to comply with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or ASHRAE 90.1-2019. Given the significant impact these requirements will have on housing affordability and availability, we urge your agency to extend the compliance deadlines beyond the current May 28, 2025, deadline for multifamily construction and the November 28, 2025, deadline for single-family construction.

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“Recent case studies demonstrate that the energy savings achieved by adopting the 2021 IECC are minimal compared to the financial burden imposed on home buyers and renters. In one such study, a builder in Kansas City, MO, constructed two homes with identical floorplans—one built to the previous energy code (an amended version of the 2018 IECC) and one built to the 2021 IECC. The energy savings of the 2021 IECC home amounted to only $125 per year, yet the additional construction cost increased the homeowner’s mortgage by approximately $1,224 annually. This discrepancy underscores the need to ensure that federal energy efficiency policies are cost-effective and do not disproportionately burden home buyers.

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“Given these concerns, we respectfully request that USDA extend the current compliance deadlines for the 2021 IECC requirements to allow for further review, stakeholder engagement, and consideration of the economic impact on home buyers and renters. …”

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