On the recordJuly 11, 2011
I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, energy efficiency is a good idea. Mandated by the Federal Government under this legislation that we're currently serving under, it is preventing competition. The Federal Government is creating a monopoly. {time} 1800 The Model T Ford is not outlawed. You can still buy one if you can find one. But the Federal Government hadn't banned it just because it's inefficient. Iceboxes--some of us actually know what an icebox looks like--are not banned by the Federal Government. You can still find one and use one if you want to because it's competition, even though they are inefficient. But the issue is should the Federal Government come in and mandate a monopoly? And that is what has occurred. Second, these new light bulbs, these CFL light bulbs, are dangerous to our health. Dr. Burgess has already pointed out they contain mercury. I thought for years we were trying to get rid of the mercury in our environment, but it is in these light bulbs. Plus, now French scientists have discovered that these new CFL light bulbs may cause blindness in children. German scientists have found out it's reported that these light bulbs may cause cancer. Now, isn't that lovely? The Federal Government is mandating something that is hazardous to our health because you have no choice. And the whole issue is about choice, Madam Speaker, that we can let the consumer decide. What's wrong with letting the consumer decide?…
