Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2012
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I offer a commonsense, cost-effective, environmentally friendly approach to lighting the Capitol Complex. The amendment states that no funds in the Legislative Branch appropriations bill may be used to buy, acquire, install, or use any compact fluorescent lamp, also known more commonly as a CFL.
I'm offering this amendment for several reasons: One, there are no compact fluorescent lamps manufactured in the United States. This is a very important point. The CFLs that provide light for this Chamber and the Capitol Complex are all foreign-made.
Two, CFLs contain mercury, a known neurotoxin which affects motor and cognitive skills by impairing the brain. If a CFL, or ``mercury bomb,'' as some have called them, breaks, the mercury vapor is released, placing those nearby at risk of inhaling the vapors and absorbing mercury through the lungs. The EPA has set up guidelines for the cleanup of broken CFL bulbs that includes evacuating the room immediately and venting it for at least 10 minutes. Even short-term exposure can potentially cause ``memory disturbances, sleep disorders, anger, fatigue, and/or hand tremors,'' according to recent studies.
Three, since Congress forced the use of foreign-made CFLs 4 years ago, American lighting manufacturers have made substantial investments in technology and have retooled their factories to make new LED and incandescent bulbs which meet the energy efficiency standards Congress mandated.
The best part: These new American-made bulbs are mercury-free, energy-efficient, cost-effective, and provide better lighting than their CFL counterparts. Let me say that again: This amendment does not ban energy-efficient bulbs from the Capitol. On the contrary, it makes sure that the energy-efficient bulbs that are used are mercury-free and made in America.
Let's take a closer look at these two bulbs. This curlicue CFL is energy-efficient by definition. No doubt. This halogen incandescent is also energy-efficient, by definition. This CFL contains mercury, and if it breaks, we have to evacuate the Chamber. This halogen bulb is mercury-free, and if it breaks, we get the broom. This CFL is made in a foreign country. This halogen bulb is made in America, with technologies created by American ingenuity. This CFL adds to our trade deficit. This halogen bulb supports American manufacturing and American jobs. These are good-paying, family sustaining jobs. And that's why the United Steelworkers has been more than happy to lend their support to this amendment.
Mr. Chairman, we can all agree, energy-efficient, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and American-made is the way to go. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this commonsense amendment. It's just a bright idea.
I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I thank the gentleman for laying out his points there. I couldn't disagree more though. These are a result of those standards that were created in previous Congresses, long before I got here. These are energy-efficient bulbs that meet the standards today that were set forth by this body.
This amendment I'm putting forth is a commonsense amendment that recognizes the innovation of American manufacturers. These folks delivered what Congress put out there for an issue to do. And I disagree when it comes to mercury. What I quoted you was from the EPA in terms of, if this bulb were to break in this Chamber, we would be forced to evacuate, simply from breaking one bulb. The EPA tells us that a room would have to be evacuated. It would have to be cleared and ventilated. So that's from the Environmental Protection Agency. These are energy-efficient bulbs, and this is not the only one. Many manufacturers in the United States have risen to the challenge of meeting those new energy-efficiency standards.
Why would we not recognize and utilize American-made bulbs that meet those energy efficiency standards that, frankly, contain no harmful chemicals in terms of mercury, as opposed to one--these bulbs, there is no place in the United States where CF bulbs are manufactured. This bulb is about foreign jobs.
And so I appreciate the gentleman's point. I just couldn't disagree more.
I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source