AIHouse Rules Committee sets floor terms for SHOWER Act, housing, and spending bills

House Rules and Floor ProcedureHouse Rules · 2026-01-06 · 119th Congress
The House Rules Committee met on January 6, 2026 to set the terms of floor debate for three measures: H.R. Begins at 0:07:26
Transcript
Highlights

Title

House Rules Committee sets floor terms for SHOWER Act, housing, and spending bills

Purpose

The House Rules Committee met on January 6, 2026 to set the terms of floor debate for three measures: H.R. 4593 (the SHOWER Act, on shower-head water-flow standards), H.R. 5184 (the Affordable HOMES Act, on manufactured-housing energy rules), and H.R. 6938, an appropriations package covering Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, and Interior and Environment for Fiscal Year 2026. Witnesses included bill sponsors Rep. Russell Fry and Rep. Doug LaMalfa, along with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, who testified on the bipartisan, bicameral appropriations package. Begins at0:07:26

Who spoke

Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC)0:04:26: Opened the meeting, recognized retiring majority staffer Erik Schell0:04:50, and argued the SHOWER Act and Affordable HOMES Act would restore consumer choice against what she called an unaccountable regulatory "bureaucratic boondoggle"0:10:58.

Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-MA)0:15:41: Criticized Republicans for debating "showerheads" while grocery and utility costs rise0:17:15; said he was presiding in the Speaker's chair on January 6, 20210:18:33 and accused the majority of refusing to display the January 6th memorial plaque0:19:140:20:29.

Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC), witness0:21:42: Testified that H.R. 4593 would codify a shower-head flow-rate standard of 2.5 gallons per minute measured per fixture rather than per nozzle0:22:150:22:43, and that H.R. 5184 would end dual DOE/HUD regulation of manufactured-home energy codes, citing NAHB estimates that regulation adds roughly $94,000 to a factory-built home's cost0:25:010:25:15.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)0:28:05: Pressed Fry on whether there was a CBO score for the bills0:38:46, argued the shower-head rule change is about energy and water efficiency rather than water pressure0:31:33, and said DOE's role helps ensure manufactured-home buyers see long-term utility savings0:41:53.

A Rules Committee member (questioning Fry on town-hall priorities)0:45:38: Asked Fry whether shower-head regulation came up at his town halls in South Carolina0:47:46, suggesting the issue is not a top constituent concern compared to immigration and the economy0:52:37.

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), witness1:06:03: Testified in support of the Affordable HOMES Act, saying it restores HUD as the sole authority for manufactured-housing standards and removes duplicative DOE requirements that raise costs1:07:301:08:30.

A Rules Committee member (on manufacturer regulatory uncertainty)1:14:41: Said inconsistent standards across administrations create hiring and investment uncertainty for manufacturers, citing a prior congressional review resolution affecting workers in the district1:15:381:16:05.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ranking Member, House Appropriations Committee, witness1:20:55: Called the CJS/Energy-Water/Interior package a bipartisan, bicameral product1:21:20, highlighted a $375 million electric-grid investment and $3 billion-plus for the weatherization program saving households roughly $370 a year1:25:571:26:25, and warned that abandoning full-year appropriations forfeits Congress's power of the purse1:28:221:28:39.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), Chairman, House Appropriations Committee, witness1:24:13: Said the package reflects consensus over "partisan obstruction"1:21:42, defended congressionally directed spending as more transparent than agency discretion1:44:211:45:59, and stated that in 1981 appropriated spending was 45% of the federal budget versus roughly 20% today due to growth in mandatory programs1:48:131:49:18.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC)1:32:08: Raised concerns about a Justice-related grant program and whether funding was going to a legitimate nonprofit, asking Cole for further detail1:32:081:32:42.

A Rules Committee member (on VAWA grants and bipartisan funding)1:33:33: Thanked Cole and DeLauro for negotiating under "less than ideal conditions" and noted funding for Violence Against Women Act survivor programs1:40:09.

A Rules Committee member (questioning project-funding totals)1:34:25: Pressed Cole on discrepancies between House and Senate community-project funding figures, citing roughly $2 billion for about 900 House projects versus a $5.6 billion Senate directed-spending total1:34:511:36:11.

Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID)1:40:37: Thanked DeLauro for her partnership on the bill and noted the funding reflects a step toward more predictable, member-driven appropriations, including rural water and community infrastructure projects1:41:061:41:35.

A Rules Committee member (on NCAR funding and Colorado retaliation claims)1:56:57: Said the administration's move to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado was "blatant retaliation," referencing a roughly 100-member bipartisan letter urging funding at prior request levels1:57:171:58:42, and noted Senator Bennet had previously held up a related Senate appropriations package1:59:331:59:54.

A Rules Committee member (on child sexual-abuse legislation)2:02:06: Described serving on a Wisconsin child-abuse review board and urged public disclosure of offenders' relationship to victims, tying the issue to a proposed amendment on law enforcement and abuse prevention2:02:332:03:35.

Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY)2:04:57: Raised a question regarding an amendment from Rep. Gosar as the committee moved to close the hearing portion of the meeting2:04:57.

Key moments

Fry said H.R. 4593 would codify a 2.5-gallon-per-minute shower-head flow standard measured per fixture, reversing what he called Obama- and Biden-era reinterpretations applying the limit per nozzle0:22:150:22:43.

Fry cited NAHB data that regulation adds roughly 24% to the cost of a manufactured home — about $94,000 — and that the average manufactured-home buyer earns $63,000 versus $103,000 for site-built home buyers0:25:150:24:22.

McGovern said he was presiding over the House chamber on January 6, 2021, and criticized the majority for not displaying the January 6th memorial plaque during the anniversary week0:18:330:20:29.

Scanlon and Fry disputed whether the SHOWER Act had a CBO score, with Fry unable to confirm one existed0:38:460:39:10.

DeLauro said the package provides a $375 million electric-grid investment and over $3 billion for weatherization/energy-efficiency programs, projected to save households about $370 a year, while rejecting a proposed $2 billion White House cut to the program1:25:571:26:251:26:54.

A member and Cole disputed the size of community-project funding in the bill, citing roughly $2 billion for about 900 House-directed projects compared with a $5.6 billion Senate directed-spending figure1:34:511:36:11.

Cole stated that appropriated (discretionary) spending fell from about 45% of the federal budget in 1981 to roughly 20% today, arguing mandatory spending — not appropriations — drives federal budget growth1:48:131:53:29.

A Colorado-area member said the OMB director's move to dismantle NCAR was "blatant retaliation," citing a roughly 100-member bipartisan letter asking the bill fund NCAR at prior request levels1:57:171:58:42.

Norman questioned whether a Justice-related grant program in the bill was going to a "legitimate" nonprofit, prompting Cole to say the committee was still reviewing the details1:32:081:32:42.

DeLauro warned that failing to complete regular appropriations forces Congress to cede spending decisions to agencies via continuing resolutions, calling that outcome a forfeiture of Congress's power of the purse1:28:221:28:39.

Metadata

Official titleH.R. 4593 – SHOWER Act; H.R. 5184 – Affordable HOMES Act; H.R. 6938 – Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026
CommitteeHouse Rules
Chamber / CongressHouse · 119th Congress
Date2026-01-06
TypeMeeting
Witnesses
(none listed in event metadata)
Videoyoutube
Transcript277 caption blocks · 9,670 words · 2:06:12 runtime
EventCongress.gov 118800