Vice President Kamala Harris received flak on social media following her Thanksgiving Day post, which featured an image of her and the Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff in their kitchen, conspicuously with a gas stove in the background. The post, which conveyed holiday wishes, sparked a pointed dialogue due to the Biden administration’s earlier stance on gas stoves.
Critics quickly honed in on the kitchen appliance, with Congressman Mike Collins from Georgia raising an eyebrow with his query, “Is that a gas stove?” Notables like former Governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker and political activist Laura Loomer echoed the sentiment, highlighting the administration’s prior discussions about a ban on gas stoves due to potential health risks.
Richard Trumka Jr., a prominent figure at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, had previously indicated to Bloomberg that such a ban was under consideration, citing undisclosed dangers. He later clarified that any potential prohibition would be restricted to new stove models.
Despite the initial concern, the proposal was abandoned. However, it was succeeded by a Department of Energy initiative proposing stringent energy efficiency criteria that would effectively rule out many current stove models. In response, the House of Representatives, with bipartisan support, adopted an amendment precluding the enforcement of these new measures. The amendment, initiated by Republican Representative Gary Palmer, gained traction with 29 Democratic votes.
This legislative pushback signifies the importance of gas stoves in American households, with approximately 38% relying on natural gas for cooking. As the conversation heats up, the Vice President’s office, as well as the White House, have yet to comment on the social media discourse or the legislative developments.