U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann hasn’t forgotten about the light bulb bill.

Under new GOP management in the House, the Minnesota Republican is reintroducing her signature “Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act,” a new iteration of legislation that went nowhere when the Democrats were in charge.

Her aim: Repeal the 2007 mandate which requires that traditional incandescent light bulbs be phased out in favor of those squiggly energy efficient compact fluorescent jobbies.



“The government has no business telling an individual what kind of light bulb to buy,” Bachmann said in a statement Wednesday. “This mandate has sweeping effects on American families and businesses and needs serious consideration before taking effect.”

Bachmann, founder of the House Tea Party Caucus, has long argued that Congress overstepped its bounds by mandating that only energy efficient light bulbs may be sold after January 1, 2012. She’s also raised alarms about the environmental hazards of the tiny amounts of mercury contained in the compact fluorescent bulbs

Bachmann said she could live with the mandate only if the Government Accountability Office (GAO) can vouchsafe the safety, cost-efficiency, and environmental benefits of the new bulb technology.

“Frankly,” she added, “I would be surprised if the GAO can prove these criteria, but at minimum, my bill will provide the opportunity to examine these important issues.”

But in Congress, “opportunity to examine… important issues” is sometimes code for don’t expect this legislation to pass.

Either way, Bachmann will have made a point again: “The American people want less government intrusion into their lives, not more, and that includes staying out of their personal light bulb choices.”