Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) proposed legislation Wednesday to have the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) abide by the DOE’s recommendation to set everyone’s thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
To ensure that government bureaucrats abide by the same recommendations that they urge Americans to follow, Ernst proposed the Lead by Example Act, which would require that the EPA and DOE not set their thermostats lower than 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
“It’s time for the Biden administration to sweat out the radical green fantasy they’re pushing on the American people. I’m turning up the heat – to 78 degrees – on these Biden bureaucrats, so they think twice before imposing arbitrary rules on Americans,” Ernst told Breitbart News in an exclusive comment. “If they truly believe it’s good enough for hardworking Americans, they should be ready and willing to lead by example and follow their own guidelines.”
The DOE encourages homeowners to bear higher temperatures to save on their electric bills.
“Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer,” the department urged. “The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.” Energy Star, a government-backed program to promote energy efficiency, also recommends people keep their homes between 78 and 85 degrees.
This recommendation runs in contrast with recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation, which encourages everyone to sleep in a room around 65 degrees Fahrenheit for optimum sleep.
CNN reported:
Your body temperature rises and falls slightly throughout the day, and you become drowsy as your body temperature comes down. If it’s too hot, it may interfere with your body’s natural temperature cycles and leave you with a restless night’s sleep.
Research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information supports that.
A 2012 study says heat exposure increases wakefulness and decreases slow wave sleep along with rapid eye movement sleep. Cold exposure, however, does not affect sleep stages. Though the use of bedding and clothing are critical when achieving a peaceful night’s rest in cold environments.
The Lead by Example Act would also require the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the EPA to submit a report to Congress describing the temperature at which they set their thermostats.
Lead by Example Act by Breitbart News on Scribd
During a Senate floor speech last week, Ernst said that the Biden administration’s reduction of domestic oil and gas leasing, burdensome regulatory environment, and other actions have led to higher energy prices:
“Folks, the Biden Blackouts will be the latest unneeded reminder that the Democrats’ Green New Deal can’t hold a candle to the Republicans’ record of producing an abundant supply of affordable energy right here in America,” she said.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
