Contributors

How Congress can increase Americans’ household costs  

Inflation and the high cost of living were big issues in the last election. So it doesn’t make much sense that lawmakers are considering making housing costs even higher.

At issue are utility costs, which are usually the second biggest monthly expense on a home after a mortgage or rent payment, driven mostly by home energy costs. The easiest way to cut energy bills is to reduce energy waste with better efficiency. And the cheapest time to make a home more efficient is when it is built. More insulation, better windows, tighter air sealing, and well-designed appliances cut energy bills for decades of residents.