[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 27 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              FULL-YEAR CONTINUING APPROPRIATION ACT, 2011

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                               speech of

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 15, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense and the other 
     departments and agencies of the Government for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes:

  Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chair, I am pleased that Mr. Akin plans to withdraw 
his amendment #181 to defund the bipartisan indoor lighting provision 
of the historic Energy Independence and Security Act, which President 
Bush signed into law in 2007.
  Let me underscore a few facts:
  First, Chairman Upton plans to hold an oversight hearing on this 
provision in the near future--so action today would have been 
premature.
  Second, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, which 
represents the domestic manufacturers of light bulbs and includes GE, 
Sylvania and Phillips, urges a ``no'' vote.
  Third, the law does not ban incandescent light bulbs, or force 
Americans to buy Chinese-made compact fluorescent bulbs that contain 
small traces of mercury.
  Fourth, what the law does is set a glide path to US manufacture of 
more efficient light bulbs--which are already saving consumers an 
average of $200 per family per year. Manufacturing facilities in 
Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and Torrance, CA--in my 
district--are creating thousands of new jobs right now.
  Finally, when the law passed by a strong bipartisan vote my co-author 
Rep. Upton said: ``. . . it is a bipartisan effort in every way . . . 
this is where we need to be . . . where the world needs to be.''
  And then-Ranking Member on Energy and Commerce Rep. Barton added: ``. 
. . this is one of the few areas where there has been constructive 
dialogue and bipartisanship . . .''
  Withdrawing this amendment is the proper thing to do and I commend 
Rep. Akin for doing so.

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