Thursday 14 July 2011

Energy saving lightbulbs are political hot potato

The humble lightbulb has become a political hot potato in the United States. Controversy began when a bill was put forward to scrap a law that means all bulbs must be 30% more efficient by 2012.Texan congressman Joe Barton put forward the motion to highlight what he believed was an overstepping of federal government action.

Mr Barton said: "Why in the world should the federal government tell people what kind of lights they can buy for their homes?"

The bill got support frompresidential candidate Michele Bachmann, who vowed earlier this year to "allow you to buy any light bulb you want" if she becomes president, reported CBS News. However, the "Better Use of Light Bulbs Act," or BULB Act, by failed to get the majority vote it needed to succeed.

In a statement issued after the bill failed, Mr Barton vowed to continue the fight for the "traditional, affordable, reliable incandescent light bulb."He said: "The issue is too important to let it go away."