Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Says Gas Stoves Reduce ‘Cognitive Performance.’ She Has A Gas Stove

 Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that gas stoves could reduce a person’s “cognitive performance,” even though she appears to use one in her own kitchen.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) is reportedly considering a nationwide ban on gas stoves after a new study found evidence of increased pollution and potential risks of respiratory illnesses. Ocasio-Cortez responded to Republican Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson, who challenged the Biden administration to “come and take” his gas stove.

“Did you know ongoing exposure to NO2 from gas stoves is linked to reduced cognitive performance,” she wrote.

The New York representative cited a 2009 study, which was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology and found that nitrogen dioxide exposure from gas stoves can deteriorate “neuropsychological development” in the first four years of a child’s life. 

Despite her opposition toward gas stoves, a screenshot of an Instagram story Ocasio-Cortez posted in Feb. 2022 shows a gas stove in her kitchen. She has also repeatedly filmed herself cooking food on a gas-burning stove.

That explains it pic.twitter.com/QmHt7nDyoF

The representative also suggested that a federal ban on gas stoves could imitate New York City’s policy, where new buildings exclusively use electric stoves, while residences that already have gas stoves can keep them. She also floated the possibility of offering tax credits and rebates to encourage Americans to switch from gas to electric.

In December, Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and 20 other Democrats urged the CSPC to reduce the number of gas stoves due to the disproportionate levels of pollution in low income and minority communities. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that gas-burning stoves are present in 35% of U.S. households, and account for 12.7% of childhood asthma cases.

The American Gas Association said in December that banning natural gas in homes can make residences more expensive since electric appliances require pricey retrofits, which in turn would negatively impact lower-income households.