House Republicans Vote "Lights Out" on U.S. Efficient Lighting Industry,Northern California Businesses and Nation's Energy Independence At Risk
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA), a Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, today voted against H.R.2417, the BULB Act, because it is polluting legislation seemingly designed to cripple nascent green industries in America while raising the energy bills of homes and businesses. H.R. 2417 repeals bipartisan energy efficiency standards signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007 that are expected to save American families and small businesses billions per year in lower electricity costs. Although H.R. 2417 failed to meet the two-thirds threshold needed to pass legislation under suspension of the rules, a majority of the Republican-led House voted in favor of the bill.
"Here we have what was once a bipartisan energy standard that is creating thousands of jobs and is expected to save American consumers more than $12.5 billion every year, and the radicalized Republican majority wants to turn off the lights,” Garamendi said. “This is not a bright idea. If you think the puns about this legislation are bad, the bill is much worse."
"With smart incentives in efficient lighting, we can Make It In America and bring good manufacturing jobs to our country. Indeed, businesses like Bridgelux in Livermore and Philips in San Jose are already producing American-made LED components, and promising technology is being developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Davis' California Lighting Technology Center," Garamendi added. "Nationwide more than 2,000 jobs have been created at new lighting factories. Instead of creating good jobs for America while helping our country become less reliant on dirty fossil fuels, the Republican majority continues to reflexively introduce any and all legislation designed to gut clean American-made technology and the jobs the industry creates. It's destructive; it's vindictive; it's dim."
The standards passed as part of the landmark 2007 energy law simply call for incandescent bulbs to be 30 percent more energy efficient beginning in 2012. The law does not mandate CFS or LED lights- it just sets an energy use standard. Several manufacturers – including Philips, GE, and Osram Sylvania – are already making new and improved energy-efficient incandescent bulbs, many here in America.
These efficiency standards, repealed by the GOP bill, would save American families, businesses and the country more than $12.5 billion annually – reducing Americans' energy costs by an average of 7 percent or about $85 per household each and every year when the standards are fully in place. The savings from the lighting standards would be like getting a free month of electricity and save enough energy annually to power all the homes in Pennsylvania and Tennessee
More efficient light bulbs decrease the levels of harmful air pollution, by 100 million tons of carbon pollution per year – the equivalent to the emissions of 17 million cars.
The bill is opposed by consumer groups, utilities, business groups, the Obama Administration, unions, and environmental groups – including Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, American Lighting Association, Business Council for Sustainable Energy, National Association of State Energy Officials, National Association of Energy Service Companies, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Seattle City Light, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Johnson Controls Inc., Philips Electronics, United Technologies Corporation, United Steelworkers, Alliance to Save Energy, American Council for Energy Efficiency Economy, Environment America, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Natural Resources Defense Fund.