[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 13, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H3754-H3755]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TURN OUT THE LIGHTS--THE PARTY'S OVER
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, Congress passed an energy bill which should
have been called the Anti-American non Energy Bill, because it punishes
Americans for using energy, rather than finding new sources of
affordable energy. But the bill does one thing, Madam Speaker, it
controls the type of light bulbs that all Americans must use throughout
our fruited plains.
Congress's energy bill bans incandescent light bulbs by 2014, and
requires Americans to buy compact fluorescent bulbs. Those are called
CFLs. Now we can say goodbye to Thomas Edison's incandescent bulb and
his invention.
Madam Speaker, I have a Constitution here and, like most Members of
Congress, I carry it with me. I've read it through and through, but I
don't see anywhere in the U.S. Constitution that it gives the
government the power to control the type of light bulbs used in Dime
Box, Texas or any other place in the United States. Besides the lack of
constitutional authority, let me discuss these light bulbs further.
Nothing in Congress seems to be easy, and that phrase is certainly
true with these CFL light bulbs. These light bulbs contain mercury, so
they have to be disposed of in a certain way. According to EPA rules,
you're supposed to take them to a local recycling center. Thanks to
Congress, nothing is easy.
If you throw them out at home, you're supposed to seal the bulb in
two plastic bags and place them in the outside trash; otherwise, the
bulb may break and pollute the landfill, of all things.
CFLs are made of glass, so they're fragile. If one breaks it or drops
it, you have to follow simple rules, thanks to Congress. And according
to the EPA, here's what do you if you break one of these light bulbs,
and I quote. ``Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let
anyone walk through the area.'' We must evacuate the room, Madam
Speaker.
I continue. ``Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or
more. Shut off the central heating and air conditioning system.
Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or
cardboard and place them in a glass jar with a metal lid.'' Obviously,
that's readily available.
I continue. ``Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any
remaining small grass fragments and powder.'' Of course we do have lots
of duct tape in Texas, so that's no problem. But we're not through yet.
I continue to quote. ``Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or
disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag. Do
not use a vacuum or a broom.''
And, Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to file this 3-page,
single space requirements the EPA has made all Americans follow on
disposing of one of these broken light bulbs.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. POE. If you break a light bulb in a high rise where the windows
don't open, will the EPA light bulb police haul us off to jail because
of improper disposal procedures?
If I dropped this light bulb, we would have to evacuate the House of
Representatives, according to the EPA light bulb law. Have we gone a
bit too far with this nonsense?
Thanks to Congress, we're making what is simple very difficult. And
besides, these light bulbs, are expensive, and using them may fade
photographs on the wall.
Now, Madam Speaker, I'm going to carefully remove one of these light
bulbs from a box that contains all these warnings on the outside. And
this is one of those CFL light bulbs that Congress is requiring all
Americans to use by 2014.
There's more to the requirements of using these. It says here, and I
quote, ``these light bulbs may cause interference to radios,
televisions, wireless telephones and remote controls.'' Now we're in
trouble for Monday night football because we're going to have to turn
out the lights so there's no interference with our TV.
We can also thank Congress for giving more money to China. This light
bulb, it says right here, with all the warnings on it, is made in
China. And Madam Speaker, they are only made in China. They're not made
in the United States. We import every one of these things.
You know, over the past year we've seen Chinese pet food kill our
dogs and
[[Page H3755]]
cats; Chinese lead paint is poisoning our children, and now Chinese
light bulbs that contain mercury can be harmful to our health. Doesn't
this bother anybody?
Meanwhile, gasoline nears $4 a gallon, and Congress still has no
energy plan except turn on these light bulbs.
{time} 1945
Oh, I yearn for the day when America took care of Americans by
developing our own abundant natural resources like coal and natural gas
and crude oil to provide affordable energy to America. But those days
have gone the way of Edison's incandescent light bulb. We might as well
turn out the lights, the party's over.
And that's just the way it is.
What To Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks
Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are lighting more homes
than ever before, and EPA is encouraging Americans to use and
recycle them safely. Carefully recycling CFLs prevents the
release of mercury into the environment and allows for the
reuse of glass, metals and other materials that make up
fluorescent lights.
EPA is continually reviewing its clean-up and disposal
recommendations for CFLs to ensure that the Agency presents
the most up-to-date information for consumers and businesses.
Maine's Department of Environmental Protection released a CFL
breakage study report on February 25, 2008. EPA has conducted
an initial review of this study and, as a result of this
review, we have updated the CFL cleanup instructions below.
Pending the completion of a full review of the Maine study,
EPA will determine whether additional changes to the cleanup
recommendations are warranted. The agency plans to conduct
its own study on CFLs after thorough review of the Maine
study.
Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of
mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the
following clean-up and disposal guidelines:
Before clean-up: ventilate the room
1. Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let
anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
2. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
3. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning
system, if you have one.
Clean-up steps for hard surfaces
4. Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using
stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with
metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
5. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any
remaining small glass fragments and powder.
6. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable
wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
7. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb
on hard surfaces.
Clean-up steps for carpeting or rug
4. Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a
glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a
sealed plastic bag.
5. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any
remaining small glass fragments and powder.
6. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are
removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
7. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister),
and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.
Disposal of clean-up materials
8. Immediately place all cleanup materials outside the
building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for
the next normal trash.
9. Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic
bags containing clean-up materials.
10. Check with your local or state government about
disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states
prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and
unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local
recycling center.
Future cleaning of carpeting or rug: ventilate the room
during and after vacuuming
11. The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central
forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window
prior to vacuuming.
12. Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut
off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after
vacuuming is completed.
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