Apparently Rep. Fred Upton really has seen the light.
The Hill reports that Upton hopes to bring to the floor next week a vote on the repeal of energy efficiency standards (a bill he once co-sponsored) that effectively bans incandescent light bulbs.
“The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), would repeal sections of a 2007 energy law that require traditional incandescent light bulbs to be 30 percent more energy efficient beginning in 2012,” writes The Hill. “House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) hopes to bring the bill to the floor next week for a vote. Upton’s support for the bill represents a change of tune. . . . He supported the 2007 light bulb efficiency law, much to the chagrin of his fellow Republicans.”
“It was never my goal for Washington to decide what type of light bulbs Americans should use,” Upton said in a statement. “The public response on this issue is a clear signal that markets ” not governments ” should be driving technological advancements. I will join my colleagues to vote yes on a bill to protect consumer choice and guard against federal overreach.”
The bulb ban has already cost hundreds of American jobs as U.S. plants were shuttered since 2007 and jobs shipped to Chinas by manufacturers like GE and Philips to assemble the more expensive – and less effective – compact fluorescent bulbs. Public outrage was growing against the stealthy ban, as consumers learned of the January 1 implementation date and the disappearance of a basic household item that makes up 85 percent of the bulb market.
Now if we could get the Republicans to do something about car-killing federal fuel economy standards. Like the bulb ban, it’s the Nanny State run amok in consumer affairs.
First published by the Michigan View: http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=2637