Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Chairman, in this House, in 2007, a bill was passed called the Energy Independence and Security Act. One of the features of this bill was to take away consumer choice when deciding which light bulbs our constituents could use in their own homes. Since that time, I have heard from literally tens of thousands of people on the inequities of this provision. Mr. Chairman, they're right.

While the government has passed energy-efficiency standards in other realms over the years, they have never moved so far and lowered standards so drastically to a point where at this date, over 5 years, the technology is still years off in making light bulbs that are compliant with the 2007 law and at a price point that the average American can afford.

Last year, light bulb companies talked about their new 2007 law-compliant bulbs that are available now, but they're available at price points of $20, $30, $40, and $50 each bulb.

Opponents to my amendment will claim that the 2007 language does not ban the incandescent bulb. This is true. It bans the sale of the 100-watt, the 60-watt, and the 45-watt bulbs. The replacement bulbs are far from economically efficient, even if they are energy efficient. A family living paycheck to paycheck can't afford to replace every bulb in their house at $25 a bulb, even if those bulbs will last 20 years.

This Congress should be on the side of the consumer and on the side of consumer choice. If the new energy-efficient light bulbs save money and if they're better for the environment, we should trust our constituents to make the choice on their own toward these bulbs. Let the market decide. We should not be forcing these light bulbs on the American people. The bottom line is the Federal Government has no business taking away the freedom of choice from Americans as to what type of light bulbs to use in their homes.

The columnist, George Will, speaking on a television program back in December of 2007, describing the efforts of the then-110th Congress, was fairly disparaging. He pointed out that Congress had not done much work in the calendar year 2007. He went on to say that the sole functions of the Federal Government are to defend the borders and deliver the mail, but all the Congress had managed to do was ban the incandescent bulb.

This exact amendment was passed the past 2 years by voice vote and both times was included in the legislation signed into law by President Obama. It allows consumers to continue to have a choice and a say as to what they put in their homes. It's common sense. Let's give some relief to American families at least until replacement light bulbs can be marketed at prices that don't break the bank.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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