Light bulb law faces challenge in Congress

WASHINGTON  Amid battles over health care, the federal budget and the soaring deficit, another fight is brewing on Capitol Hill this week — over light bulbs.

Some House and Senate Republicans want to repeal a 2007 law that phases out traditional incandescent light bulbs in favor of more energy-efficient options. The Senate's energy panel has a hearing Thursday on the repeal bill proposed by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. Texas Rep. Joe Barton is pushing companion legislation in the House.

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., last week introduced a similar bill that also calls for a study into whether new bulbs pose a health risk. "The government has no business telling an individual what kind of light bulb to buy," she said in a statement.

The battle pits the lawmakers against environmental groups that strongly back the new standards, which require manufacturers to produce bulbs that use 25% to 30% less energy than standard incandescents, starting Jan. 1.

"This is not some sort of nanny-state policy," said Jim Presswood of the Natural Resources Defense Council. "It harnesses market forces to drive innovation."

Presswood's group says the change, once fully implemented, will save the average household $100 to $200 a year in energy costs and cut power-plant pollution by 100 million tons — the equivalent of taking 17 million cars off the road. The standard had bipartisan support when it was passed and was signed into law by President George W. Bush.

The light bulb industry also opposes the repeal. "Consumer choice isn't being eliminated here," said Kyle Pitsor of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. Pitsor said new bulbs now on the market include more advanced incandescent blubs that use 28% less energy than standard bulbs.

Some consumers have complained about dimmer light from one type of the new bulbs, CFLs, or compact fluorescent lamps, and about their disposal because they contain small amounts of mercury. The new light bulbs also cost more than traditional incandescent bulbs, but they last longer.

ON THE WEB: Senate details on the hearing

Lawmakers say the repeal effort is a matter of principle. "From the health insurance you're allowed to have, to the car you can drive, to the light bulbs you can buy, Washington is making too many decisions that are better left to you and your family," Barton said in a statement.