House passes H.R.4690 to repeal certain federal building efficiency mandates after contentious debate

The House passed H.R.4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, on April 22, 2026, after extended debate and a recorded final vote.

Sponsor Representative Langworthy (R-N.Y.) called the measure a restoration of "reliability, affordability and common sense," saying the bill would repeal Section 433 of prior federal law and prevent future administrations from imposing electrification mandates on federal buildings. "My bill repeal[s] Section 433. It restores common sense," Langworthy said on the floor, arguing that critical facilities such as VA hospitals and military installations require dependable on-site generation.

Opponents, including Representative Pallone and Representative Sykes (D-Ohio), said repeal would undercut long-term savings for taxpayers and hamper federal leadership on energy efficiency. Sykes said she would offer a motion to recommit and described the timetable for transition as unrealistic given current energy-price volatility.

The House considered a motion to recommit offered by Ms. Sykes; that motion was defeated on a recorded vote (yeas 203, nays 214). The House later held the final passage vote for H.R.4690; the Clerk announced the yeas were 215 and the nays were 202 and declared the bill passed.

The bill's backers said it protects reliability for critical federal infrastructure; critics said it would lock in fossil-fuel usage and forgo efficiency-driven savings. The measure now proceeds to any required further procedural steps outside the House record in this transcript.