A bill to direct the Secretary of Energy to develop standards for general service lamps that will operate more efficiently and assist in reducing costs to consumers, business concerns, government entities, and other users, to require that general service lamps and related products manufactured or sold in interstate commerce after 2013 meet those standards, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Bright Idea Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR GENERAL SERVICE LAMPS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Establishment of standards.--As soon as practicable 
        after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
        Energy shall initiate a project to establish technical 
        standards for general service lamps.
            (2) Consultation with interested parties.--In carrying out 
        the project, the Secretary shall consult with representatives 
        of environmental organizations, labor organizations, general 
        service lamp manufacturers, consumer organizations, and other 
        interested parties.
            (3) Minimum initial standards; deadline.--The initial 
        technical standards established shall be standards that enable 
        those general service lamps to provide levels of illumination 
        equivalent to the levels of illumination provided by general 
        service lamps generally available in 2007, but with--
                    (A) a lumens per watt rating of not less than 30 by 
                calendar year 2013; and
                    (B) a lumens per watt rating of not less than 45 by 
                calendar year 2018.
    (b) Manufacture and Distribution in Interstate Commerce.--If the 
Secretary of Energy, after consultation with the interested parties 
described in subsection (a)(2), determines that general service lamps 
meeting the standards established under subsection (a) are generally 
available for purchase throughout the United States at costs that are 
substantially equivalent (taking into account useful life, lifecycle 
costs, domestic manufacturing capabilities, energy consumption, and 
such other factors as the Secretary deems appropriate) to the cost of 
the general service lamps they would replace, then the Secretary shall 
take such action as may be necessary to require that at least 95 
percent of general service lamps sold, offered for sale, or otherwise 
made available in the United States meet the standards established 
under subsection (a), except for those general service lamps described 
in subsection (c).
    (c) Exception.--The standards established by the Secretary under 
subsection (a) shall not apply to general service lamps used in 
applications in which compliance with those standards is not feasible, 
as determined by the Secretary.
    (d) Revised Standards.--After the initial standards are established 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult periodically with the 
interested parties described in subsection (a)(2) with respect to 
whether those standards should be changed. The Secretary may change the 
standards, and the dates and percentage of lamps to which the changed 
standards apply under subsection (b), if after such consultation the 
Secretary determines that such changes are appropriate.
    (e) Report.--The Secretary shall submit reports periodically to the 
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology, the Senate 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the House of 
Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce with respect to the 
development and promulgation of standards for lamps and lamp-related 
technology, such as switches, dimmers, ballast, and non-general service 
lighting, that includes the Secretary's findings and recommendations 
with respect to such standards.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy may carry out a lighting 
technology research and development program--
            (1) to support the research, development, demonstration, 
        and commercial application of lamps and related technologies 
        sold, offered for sale, or otherwise made available in the 
        United States; and
            (2) to assist manufacturers of general service lamps in the 
        manufacturing of general service lamps that, at a minimum, 
        achieve the lumens per watt ratings described in section 2(a).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2008 through 2013.
    (c) Sunset.--The program under this section shall terminate on 
September 30, 2015.

SEC. 4. CONSUMER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the 
Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, shall carry out a 
comprehensive national program to educate consumers about the benefits 
of using light bulbs that have improved efficiency ratings.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2008 through 2014.

SEC. 5. REPORT ON MERCURY USE AND RELEASE.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Energy, in cooperation with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, shall submit to Congress a report 
describing recommendations relating to the means by which the Federal 
Government may reduce or prevent the release of mercury during the 
manufacture, transportation, storage, or disposal of light bulbs.

SEC. 6. REPORT ON LAMP LABELING.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, in cooperation with the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary 
of Energy, shall submit to Congress a report describing current lamp 
labeling practices by lamp manufacturers and recommendations for a 
national labeling standard.

Summary: Bright Idea Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish technical standards for general service lamps that provide levels of illumination equivalent to those provided by lamps generally available in 2007, but with a lumens per watt rating of at least: (1) 30 by calendar 2013; and (2) 45 by calendar 2018.

Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) carry out a lighting technology research and development program regarding lamps and related technologies made available in the United States; and (2) assist manufacturers in the manufacturing of general service lamps that achieve the lumens per watt ratings prescribed by this Act.

Instructs the Secretary to: (1) implement a national program consumer education program about the benefits of using light bulbs with improved efficiency ratings; and (2) report to Congress recommendations regarding the means by which the federal government may reduce or prevent the release of mercury during the manufacture, transportation, storage, or disposal of light bulbs.

Directs the Commissioner [sic] of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report to Congress regarding current lamp labeling practices by lamp manufacturers, with recommendations for a national labeling standard.