Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROKITA. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of the amendment offered by my friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

I would also like to thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee for her continued work on this matter.

Frankly, as I look around the room tonight, I think it is kind of ridiculous that we are sitting here talking, standing here talking about ceiling fans. This is what it has come to.

The bureaucracy in this town is now telling the American people that they know what belongs on their ceiling more than those people do. It is government run amuck. It is an example of the complete disregard bureaucrats have for the practical implications of the regulations they issue.

The Department of Energy, as is stated, contends that a certain amount of energy would be saved by requiring greater efficiency from ceiling fans, completely disregarding the fact that if you price people out of this market, as the gentlewoman from Tennessee said, they are going to have to buy cooling systems that are even more expensive, buy fans that are even more expensive.

Let's get out of this business. We have more important things to do than worrying about bureaucrats and what they decide people need on their ceilings. Let's remember, this amendment was adopted in 2014 on the floor, and it was in the base text of the 2015 bill.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on this amendment.

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