Dear Friend,

October 13 is the last day New Jersey citizens can register to vote. In addition to the gubernatorial election, numerous state, county, and local elections are being held this year. Information about how to register and registration forms can be found here. I urge you to check to make sure you are registered before the October 13 deadline.

I also want to remind you that, in New Jersey, any voter can vote by paper absentee ballot for any election, by mail or in person (you need not show that you are out of state or ill). Absentee ballot applications can be found here. The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is October 27. The deadline to request one in person at your county clerk’s office is 3 p.m. on Monday, November 2. Absentee ballots – whether mailed back or delivered in person – must be received by the county Board Elections by 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3.

For more information, please review the New Jersey Voter's Bill of Rights. If you have any additional questions, feel free to call me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT.

New Ban on Flavored Tobacco

Last week, a new federal ban on flavored tobacco took effect, marking one of the first visible signs of the Food and Drug Administration’s new authority to regulate tobacco under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The bill, for which I voted, includes provisions that prohibit cigarettes from containing any artificial or natural flavors, except menthol and other components used to make cigars. In doing so, the legislation bans the manufacture, import, marketing, and distribution of candy-, fruit-, and clove-flavored cigarettes that have a strong appeal among our nation’s youth. According to the FDA, almost 90 percent of adult smokers start smoking as teenagers, with these types of flavored cigarettes often acting as vehicles for regular tobacco use in adulthood. By enabling the FDA to regulate what goes into tobacco products, this new federal ban will help stop more than 3,600 young Americans who start smoking daily, according to FDA estimates, and thereby avoid future addiction and serious health risks.

Energy Efficiency for Electronics

Not too long ago, appliances – refrigerators, air conditioners – consumed the most energy in our homes. In 1990, the United States established efficiency standards for appliances, resulting in significant energy savings. Setting standards is an especially effective way for government to achieve results. New refrigerators on average use 45 percent less energy than they did in 1990, while new washers use 70 percent less energy than a new washer in 1990. Additionally, the creation of the Energy Star program gives consumers the information to purchase appliances with even more efficiency than current standards.

Yet, in contrast to greater energy efficiency for home appliances, home electronics – televisions, video games – are taking up more and more energy. The International Energy Agency recently found that consumer electronics represent 15 percent of household power demand, a level that could triple in 20 years. This increase means greater energy costs, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and a greater burden on the electrical grid.  To combat rising electronic energy use, many energy experts have proposed new efficiency requirements that determine how much power consumer electronics may use. There is no legislation in Congress to establish such rules, however states like California and Massachusetts are considering new standards for television efficiency.

I often ask students to do a so-called back-of-the-envelope calculation. Estimate the number of homes in the U.S. (say, 100 million). Estimate the number of remote control appliances in an average home (say, five, including a couple of TVs, a stereo, a garage door opener, etc.). Estimate the number of watts for each appliance as it sits waiting for the user to push the remote (say, 2 watts, less than a night light's amount of power as its circuits stay warm all the time). How much power does the U.S. use to have the convenience of instant-on-appliances? As much power as a small city uses (100 million x 5 x 2, which is 1 billion watts, not counting the power the appliances use when they are on). So an entire city-sized power plant is running to meet that usage. (Of course, this exercise is intended not to get a precise answer, but to develop in the students a sense of scale and an ability to estimate).

Sincerely,

RUSH HOLT
Member of Congress

P.S. Just a reminder: I always want to hear from you, but please don’t reply to this e-mail.  Instead, please email me through my website at www.holt.house.gov, or call me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT (1-877-874-4658) to let me know what's on your mind.  Please also note that you may unsubscribe from this list by clicking on the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of this email.