Congressional Republicans got a major concession as price for averting a government shutdown: saving the incandescent light bulb, at least now.
Politico (“Spending bill blocks light bulb standards“):
The shutdown-averting budget bill will block federal light bulb efficiency standards, giving a win to House Republicans fighting the so-called ban on incandescent light bulbs.
GOP and Democratic sources tell POLITICO the final omnibus bill includes a rider defunding the Energy Department’s standards for traditional incandescent light bulbs to be 30 percent more energy efficient.
DOE’s light bulb rules — authorized under a 2007 energy law authored signed by President George W. Bush — would start going into effect Jan. 1. The rider will prevent DOE from implementing the rules through Sept. 30. But Democrats said they could claim a “compromise” by adding language to the omnibus that requires DOE grant recipients greater than $1 million to certify they will upgrade the efficiency of their facilities by replacing any lighting to meet or exceed the 2007 energy law’s standards.
It’s a rather silly issue, especially since the phase out of inefficient bulbs was signed into law by a Republican president (albeit with a brand new Democratic Congress). But it’s one that gained tremendous salience with a public not wishing to be told what to do on something so trivial.
