U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy announced Wednesday that his landmark Energy Choice Act has officially passed out of the House Energy Subcommittee — a major victory for New Yorkers and a critical step toward blocking Governor Kathy Hochul’s natural gas ban in homes and businesses across the state.

Langworthy’s bill, which prohibits state and local governments from banning certain sources of energy and safeguards Americans’ freedom to choose the most affordable and reliable energy sources for their families, advanced with strong support and now heads to the full Energy & Commerce Committee for consideration.

“Banning natural gas in New York is one of the most reckless and clueless policies ever pushed on working families,” said Langworthy of District 23. “It rips away an affordable, reliable energy source and replaces it with higher costs, weaker grids, and winter blackouts waiting to happen. It’s dangerous, it’s out of touch, and it’s going to have a cataclysmic effect on our energy supply, economy, and New Yorkers’ budgets. I’m so pleased that my Energy Choice Act has garnered incredible support, but we must keep this momentum going to get it passed and signed into law.”

Hochul’s proposed ban would prohibit natural gas in new construction– a move that independent analysts warn could dramatically raise costs during already crippling home-energy price spikes. Langworthy’s legislation ensures that no state can force its residents into costly, unstable, or unproven energy mandates that put ideology ahead of affordability and reliability.

The Energy Choice Act has received widespread support from across New York State and the nation, just surpassing 200 local governments that have passed resolutions in support, 124 co-sponsors in the House from dozens of states and garnered endorsements from key industry stakeholders.

Langworthy noted Hochul’s cynical attempt to use the court case to delay the ban until after the election, just as she did with congestion pricing. He continued, “There is zero doubt that after the election, Governor Hochul will pull the rug out from New Yorkers and implement her law — that’s why it’s more important than ever to pass my Energy Choice Act to ensure that New Yorkers have federal protections against this radical, dangerous ban. New York is already on its knees facing the worst affordability crisis in the nation — this would send us off the cliff with no return.”

The bill is being sponsored in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia.