The Big Turn-Off: U.S. Light Bulbs

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, July 22, 2011
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. On July 6th Congress introduced H.R. 2417 to repeal the ban on incandescent light bulbs in the United States. The bill was put on the fast track, had no hearing and was rushed to the floor for a vote. That violated the legislative process, so a super majority vote was required for passage and it was defeated July 12th. The 233 to 193 party-line votes included only five Democrats that voted FOR it, while ten Republicans voted AGAINST it. Hopefully, another light bulb bill will be introduced and pass under a simple majority rule.

This problem began when the Edison light bulb was banned in the 2007 Energy Act, with strong support from the lighting industry. A glimmer of hope came in 2007 when General Electric announced plans to introduce a new generation of energy-efficient incandescent bulbs by 2010. Obviously, that never happened and unless the 2007 law is repealed before 2014, American light bulbs will be replaced with a much more expensive dimmer Chinese product containing hazardous mercury. Meaning, the American economy will suffer as light bulb factories close and workers lose their jobs.

Despite the defeat of H.R. 2417, a Heritage Foundation analyst believes an acceptable bulb bill WILL pass later, because the intrusive current law overrides consumer choice. Georgia and other states have tried to counteract the federal law with legislation that would authorize the manufacture and sale of incandescent light bulbs locally, but S.B. 61 bill failed to pass in Georgia and legislation that passed elsewhere was immediately challenged in court.

South Carolina Senator DeMint, who co-sponsored the Senate light bulb bill said, “It’s just another government intrusion in our lives. I think people are just increasingly aggravated that the government is telling us what kind of toilets we have, what kind of light bulbs we have, what kind of health insurance, so I think it is just coming to a boil outside.”

Contact Congress every chance you get. They need to understand that using American light bulbs will NOT melt Arctic glaciers and polar bears won’t drop dead, if we refuse to buy light bulbs made in China. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.