The House Energy and Power Subcommittee defeated H.R. 623, better known as the Knollenberg Bill, by a vote of
13-12 on April 12. The bill would have eliminated the federal low-flow plumbing standards for water closets and shower
heads enacted under the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
The close vote could have been a victory for the legislation's sponsor, Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). The day before,
the vote looked more in favor of Knollenberg, according to Ce Ce Kremer, vice president/government affairs for the
Plumbing Manufacturers Institute.