HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI
OF ILLINOIS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2007

• Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Bulb Replacement In Government with high-efficiency Technology Energy Savings Act, otherwise known as the BRIGHT energy savings act.

• Today Americans are rightly concerned about the impact of foreign energy dependence on our national security and the effect of global climate change on the future of our planet. The BRIGHT Energy Savings Act will help us to address both of these issues by cutting down significantly on energy use by the Federal government, and at the same time it will save millions of taxpayer dollars. It's a win for the environment, a win for national security, and a win for American taxpayers.

• This bill directs the GSA to replace commonly used low efficiency light bulbs with high efficiency bulbs whenever a new bulb is installed in a GSA-owned federal building.

• The impact of the BRIGHT Energy Savings Act could be significant. The GSA owns approximately 1,800 facilities with about 174 million square feet of space. At least 3 million lights throughout the Federal government could be upgraded to high efficiency bulbs.

• One type of high efficiency bulb that could be used is the Energy Star-certified Compact Fluorescent Light bulb, also known as a CFL. CFLs use approximately 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs to provide the same amount of light and they last approximately 8-10 times longer. Replacing an ordinary bulb with a comparable CFL saves up to $74 in energy costs over the bulb's lifetime. It's easy to see that hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars can be saved by implementing this bill.

• As an engineer by training, I am fascinated by the promise of new and emerging technologies and what they mean for our future. In addition to CFLs, new halogen technologies are expected to become commercially available later this year. Further down the road, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) will revolutionize the lighting industry, leading to vastly more efficient lighting and the prospect of bulbs that do not burn out. Much of this technology represents American ingenuity and innovation, and provides hope for a brighter future. And with the Federal government purchasing large quantities of these high efficiency bulbs, this next generation of technology will be less costly to put in American homes.

• Reduced energy consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and saved taxpayer dollars. It's a common sense, practical measure that is simply the right thing to do. A bipartisan group of more than 35 members have already joined us on the BRIGHT Energy Savings Act; clearly, the future is bright.