Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., wants the federal government to follow her state's lead in cutting the energy usage of power-hungry high-definition television sets. The California Energy Commission earlier this week approved a plan to cut the energy consumption of new televisions sold in the state by one-third beginning in 2011 and by one-half starting in 2013.

In a Thursday letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Feinstein urged the Energy Department to take a "serious look" at crafting national standards for TVs that are as rigorous as the ones adopted in California. But the Consumer Electronics Association, which represents major TV set manufacturers, wants to pull the plug on both the California requirements and Feinstein's proposal. "It will result in higher prices for consumers, job losses for Californians and lost tax revenue for the state," the CEA said.