One of the most personally intrusive, regulation-happy green bills that ever passed through Congress, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 made the sale of most incandescent light bulbs virtually illegal by January 1st, 2012. The bill imposed arbitrary efficiency standards that the producers of traditional lightbulbs couldn't hope to meet, making their more expensive, less reliable Compact Flourescent Lightbulb (CFL) cousins the new standard. So, goodbye consumer choice, hello government oversight.
Thankfully, the House is finally making moves to repeal this - at best, ill-thought-out; at worst, you-will-go-green-and-you-will-like-it - law. On Monday, expect to see a vote on the Better Use of Lightbulbs (BULB) Act, meant to reverse the 2007 law's provision on banning incandescents.
After months of fiery rhetoric from the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, GOP sponsors of the legislation confirmed they're on track for a floor vote Monday on a bill that stops the federally mandated transition to more eco-friendly home lighting.
Republicans plan to bring their bill up under suspension of the rules, a House procedure usually used for noncontroversial items like Post Office namings that requires two-thirds support and prohibits amendments.
Lead sponsor Rep. Joe Barton told POLITICO that he is "working real hard on the Democratic side" to win about 40 of their votes. The bill currently has only Republican members as co-sponsors after Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) removed her name from the measure Thursday evening.
"Their eyes have been opened and they see the effect of it, and the jobs consequences and the energy efficiency," Barton said Thursday.
Probably wouldn't pass the current Senate in a million years, but still - totally righteous. And for a bit of fun, here's some advice on what to do if the CFL law isn't repealed.