Better Use of Light Bulbs Act
* Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the BULB Act. Plain and simple--this bill will hurt our competitive advantage against China.
* As my colleagues on the other side of the aisle bring this bill to the floor to take a step backwards & repeal light bulb efficiency, China gets it and they're leaping forward. This year China is spending over a billion dollars to make energy efficient lighting. China knows they can save consumers money while putting their country on track to create the largest LED industry in the world.
* With efficiency requirements, we can compete. We can create American jobs making better light bulbs that meet the new standards. More than 2,000 jobs have already been created at factories around the country. In the U.S., there are between 12,000 to 14,000 jobs related to lighting.
* I do not want to send those jobs to China by handing over the next generation lighting industry to them. The light bulb has been a symbol of American ingenuity since the late 1800s. When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, it revolutionized our economy and electricity around the world. If America wants to lead, we need to become more efficient. That is the way of the future. Already, the new standards are prompting manufacturers to build new plants and create jobs making more energy efficient lighting here. In my Congressional District, Veeco has done just that. Veeco's employee count on Long Island has doubled from 150-300 from 2009 to 2011.
* Lighting manufacturers have invested millions of dollars to develop new lighting technologies and improve old ones so they're 30 percent more efficient by the end of this year.
* Efficiency isn't not about saving energy. It's about saving money and giving consumers a solid return on their investment. The BULB Act does nothing to save our constituents money.
* Current standards would save the average American family $100 on their electricity bills. I know my constituents want that $100 in their pockets.
* That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill to help save money and energy while supporting U.S. manufacturing.
Source