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House to Turn Out Lights on American Ingenuity, Safety, and Efficiency?

Members of the House of Representatives are set this week to vote on Rep. Joe Barton's Better Use of Light Bulbs Act (H.R. 2417, also called the BULB Act). The BULB Act would roll back 2007 legislation supported by industry, environmental groups, and states. The original legislation, signed by George W. Bush with the support of industry giants like General Electric, Philips, Sylvania, the states of California and Nevada, and a broad coalition of environmental organizations, phased out inefficient light bulbs and phased in a new set of light bulbs, including a new incandescent bulb that is significantly more efficient.

If passed, the BULB Act (H.R. 2417) would cost each American household between $100 to $200 every year in missed energy savings and will eliminate 2,000 new American jobs. Passage of the BULB Act will also result in 100 million tons of additional green house pollution per year - the equivalent of putting 17 million additional cars on the road. The missed energy savings will cost Americans $12 billion every single year.

"In 2007, light bulb efficiency standards passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and with backing from the lighting industry. Today, American ingenuity, American jobs, and American leadership are at risk. If Congress pulls away from this fundamental efficiency mandate, the American people will foot the bill," said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network. "It is a giant leap backwards toward out-dated technology, a flagrant waste of energy and hard-working Americans' money. It is a lose, lose, lose for our country."

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