CLIMATE -- REP. SCALISE LINKS BUILDING EFFICIENCY STANDARDS TO 'SETTING UP A GLOBAL WARMING GESTAPO' Options

[Snuffysmith]

CLIMATE -- REP. SCALISE LINKS BUILDING EFFICIENCY STANDARDS TO 'SETTING UP A GLOBAL WARMING GESTAPO': Yesterday during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the American Clean Energy and Security Act, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) attacked a provision in the bill that would create federal energy efficiency standards for buildings, calling it "ludicrous." "We're actually creating a global warming police," Scalise complained, adding, "We're setting up a global warming Gestapo that can literally come in and now this new term, 'unlawful occupancy.' Now, living in your home is considered unlawful under this bill." Of course Scalise's rhetoric is hyperbole. The measure would actually save working families and businesses millions of dollars, create hundreds of thousands of green jobs, and tackle the nation's biggest sources of global warming pollution. Moreover, Scalise is confusing energy efficiency codes with safety codes. The bill actually preserves local safety codes and provides federal support for states to implement the new standards. Federal enforcement would only take place if the states fail to act.