Biden Administration’s Newest Target: Light Bulbs

August 2, 2023

This week President Biden’s Department of Energy announced they will begin enforcing a nationwide ban on various types of light bulbs. This is all part of the administration’s aggressive energy efficiency agenda that is picking off household appliances one by one. 

Fox News reports,  

“Under the Department of Energy’s (DOE) regulations, manufacturers and retailers will be prohibited from selling incandescent and similar halogen light bulbs, which represent a sizable share of current light bulb supplies. Instead, manufacturers and retailers must sell light-emitting diode, or LED, alternatives or risk substantial federal penalties.”

The announcement caused understandable backlash from lawmakers, 

“President Biden continues to push liberal fantasies through his weaponized federal agencies,” Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., added. “The Department of Energy should be focused on American energy independence, not on what lightbulbs you can or can’t purchase for your home or business.”

The problem with Biden’s bans is that lower-income households feel a more substantial impact and are forced to buy more expensive products because of the eco- left’s delusion. According to recent results from the Residential Energy Consumption Survey,

“Overall, 47% use mostly or only LEDs, 15% use mostly incandescent or halogens, and 12% use mostly or all compact fluorescent (CFL), with another 26% reporting no predominant bulb type, the federal data showed. In December, the DOE introduced separate rules banning CFL bulbs, paving the way for LEDs to be the only legal light bulbs to purchase. According to the survey data, LEDs are also far more popular in higher-income households, meaning the energy regulations will particularly impact lower-income Americans. While 54% of households with an income of more than $100,000 per year used LEDs, just 39% of households with an income of $20,000 or less used LEDs.”

Biden’s Department of Energy is clearly on a war path through our homes. Over the last few months, the DOE has announced new regulations for gas stoves, clothes washers, refrigerators, dishwashers, water heaters, and air conditioners. Consumers have a right to purchase the items that work best for their household. Biden and his eco-left followers should focus on making the U.S. energy independent again rather than worrying about what is in the homes of the American people.