Claim: The stimulus bill sent “tens of millions of dollars to build traffic lights in China.”

Ad(s): Wasteful Spending

Sponsor(s): Americans For Prosperity

Air Dates: April 27 – May 13, 2012

Total Estimated Spending On This Claim: $868,396  ($1,736,793 Total)

Markets:  Albuquerque, Cedar Rapids, Charlotesville, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus (OH), Des Moines, Detriot, Flint, Ft. Meyers, Grand Junction, Grand Rapids, Jacksonville, Lansing, Las Vegas, Orlando, Reno, Richmond, Tampa, Toledo, West Palm Beach

Factcheck.org Summary:    Actually, the traffic lights were assembled in the U.S. It’s true that for a time they were put together using LED lights made mostly in Asia, under a waiver the Department of Energy issued in February 2010 – and then rescinded 10 months later after a foreign company expanded its LED traffic light manufacturing facilities in the U.S.  Click here to read more

Washington Post Fact Checker Summary:  The source is the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, but again, the article was much more nuanced. The traffic lights are for the United States market, but the article noted that there is a shortage of American-made light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, so parts are sourced overseas while the lights were assembled in the United States.    Click here to read more