WASHINGTON D.C. January 7, 2026 – In a fiery speech on the House floor late Wednesday, Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) expressed outrage over Republicans’ decision to advance a bill redefining showerhead water efficiency standards, calling it “absolutely inane and bizarre” given the day’s pressing agenda that included subpoenas in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and a classified briefing on the U.S. administration’s involvement in Venezuela.
Stansbury, speaking around 7 p.m. Eastern Time, highlighted the contrast between critical national issues and what she described as trivial legislation. “There are days, increasingly so, when I cannot believe my eyes and my ears in this chamber,” she said, noting the Oversight Committee’s recent subpoenas of additional witnesses, including potential co-conspirators in Epstein’s crimes. She also referenced hours spent in a classified briefing on the “unauthorized invasion of Venezuela by this administration and the capture of a foreign leader,” while criticizing President Donald Trump and his team for “threatening to invade other foreign countries” without congressional consent.
The Democrat further pointed to a forced vote earlier in the day to protect the Affordable Care Act, which provides health care to millions of Americans. Turning to the bill at hand, Stansbury questioned its timing as the “first real bill of this Congress this year.” She revealed researching the issue, discovering Trump’s April 2025 executive order directing the Department of Energy to repeal Obama- and Biden-era regulations on showerhead definitions to allow higher water pressure. “I literally had to go Google and look up what this was all about,” Stansbury admitted, arguing the changes benefit “rich people showers” with multiple heads rather than everyday consumers.
Directly addressing Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Stansbury yielded time to ask if Trump had personally requested the bill. When Guthrie began responding about long-term work on regulations, Stansbury reclaimed her time, stating, “If my colleague across the aisle cannot answer a simple question about why we are running legislation on the United States House floor on showerheads, I think we rest our case.”
The legislation in question, H.R. 4593 or the Saving Homeowners from Overregulation With Exceptional Rinsing (SHOWER) Act, was introduced by Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) in July 2025. It codifies Trump’s executive order by adopting the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ industry-standard definition of “showerhead,” allowing each nozzle in multi-head systems to flow up to 2.5 gallons per minute—effectively increasing water pressure and reversing stricter interpretations from previous Democratic administrations. Republicans argue the bill reduces government overreach, provides regulatory clarity, and restores consumer choice, with Guthrie stating it addresses how “low pressure showers waste time and increase water usage.”
House Majority Leader’s office framed the SHOWER Act as part of broader efforts to “end Democrats’ war on water pressure” and align with the original intent of the 1992 Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The bill is scheduled for a floor vote this week alongside other measures rolling back Biden-era efficiency rules for manufactured homes and appliances.
Stansbury’s remarks come amid heightened tensions in Congress, following a moment of silence for January 6 victims and ongoing debates over war powers and health care. Her speech quickly gained traction on social media, with supporters praising her for “calling out the absurdity” and critics dismissing it as partisan drama.
Environmental groups have opposed the bill, warning it could undermine water conservation efforts, while industry advocates hail it as a win against burdensome regulations. As the House reconvenes in 2026, the showerhead debate underscores deep partisan divides over priorities in a Republican-controlled chamber under a Trump presidency.
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