The fate of the incandescent light bulb is a symbol of the fight against federal regulations. | REUTERS House turns off light bulb standards

The House on Friday morning moved to block federal light bulb efficiency standards without even a roll call vote.

An amendment from Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) defunding the Energy Department's standards for traditional incandescent light bulbs to be 30 percent more energy efficient starting next year was approved rather anticlimactically by voice vote.


The success of the amendment appeared inevitable in the House, where the fate of the incandescent light bulb became a symbol in the fight against federal regulations.

Democrats and the White House have opposed the move to block the standards, which were included in a 2007 energy bill signed by President George W. Bush. DOE has said the standards could save consumers $6 billion a year.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) got majority support — 233 votes — for a stand-alone bill repealing the efficiency standards Tuesday, though that fell well short of the two-thirds it needed to pass under expedited floor rules. Only five Democrats voted for Barton’s bill after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi whipped Democrats against it. Ten Republicans opposed the measure on the floor.

The Burgess amendment would have only needed majority support in a roll call vote.

The amendment also did not include language in Barton's bill that prohibited states from adopting their own standards. One Republican — Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) — voted “present” on the Barton bill largely over that 10th Amendment issue.

Policy riders in spending bills may have a better shot than stand-alone bills.

Daniel Weiss of the Center for American Progress Action Fund immediately blasted Friday's move. "The House sent a clear signal on Tuesday that it opposes modern efficiency standards for light bulbs despite support from the lighting industry," he said. "[The fact that] the voice vote saved time and effort to get to the known outcome is the only energy efficient aspect of this vote against saving families money by cutting energy use."

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 11:34 a.m. on July 15, 2011.