Don't worry, America. Even though we're four weeks away from suffering another potential financial crisis, congress is tackling the issues that really matter such as repealing lighting efficiency standards which save roughly $12 billion dollars per year in electricity costs and are overwhelmingly supported by companies that make light bulbs
In a move that could be called anything but conservative, Republican lawmakers are set to bring a bill to the House floor next week that will repeal state and municipal rights to set efficiency standards for light bulbs. The bill would unravel a piece of federal legislation that was strongly supported by light bulb manufacturers and has spurred innovation in the lighting industry. [...]
The bill, sponsored by Texas Republican Joe Barton, would strip away any “federal, state or local requirement or standard regarding energy efficient lighting” that uses light bulbs containing mercury. In other words, all compact fluorescent bulbs.
Barton’s bill targets the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which increases the efficiency of incandescent light bulbs by 27% through 2014. It was a completely non-controversial bill that had bi-partisan support, was strongly supported by light bulb manufacturers (and still is) and was signed into law by George W. Bush.
The audacity! Energy efficient light bulbs! We don't need no stinkin' energy efficient light bulbs! That's for socialists!
Wait, this legislation would block states from setting their own efficiency requirements? What happen to states rights?