How Democrats’ Energy Bills Relief Act would put money back in your pocket

Our bills are too high and Trump and congressional Republicans are to blame. As families struggle to keep the lights on, fill up the tank, and put food on the table under Trump’s administration, he is ignoring the need to bring down costs. Instead, he’s doubling down on policies that will raise our bills further. To make life easier and more affordable for millions of people, we must stop Trump’s policies that are jacking up our costs. Here’s why, and how Democrats in Congress are working to make this a reality with the Energy Bills Relief Act.

Trump’s dirty energy agenda is driving up energy bills

U.S. electricity demand is expected to increase 25% by 2030. We need to produce enough energy to meet this surging demand. And we have to do it in a way that doesn’t raise everyday people’s costs.

Trump’s actions, however, are making things worse. Energy costs are up 13% in his first year in office, driven by his chaotic fossil-fuel-first agenda. He’s shutting down projects that could lower energy costs, like solar and offshore wind. At the same time, he’s championing expensive fossil fuels that are actively raising energy costs for millions of people nationwide.

And, despite the cost to the people they are supposed to represent, congressional Republicans are helping him. Over the summer, Republicans passed their Big Ugly Bill. Among other horrible provisions, this legislation rolled back tax credits for clean energy and efficient technologies. This makes it harder to bring clean, affordable energy, which would lower costs and reduce health-harming pollution, online.

Relying on fossil fuels is not only a disaster for the environment, it’s also the most expensive way to meet our energy needs. And that makes a difference on our monthly utility bills and how much we pay at the pump.

Democrats are fighting back with the Energy Bills Relief Act

Democrats are fighting back against Trump’s costly fossil-fuel agenda with the Energy Bills Relief Act (EBRA). This bill will rein in skyrocketing costs for our families by ensuring access to clean, affordable energy. It is the most important piece of environmental legislation introduced since passage of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06) and Mike Levin (CA-49), alongside 122 Democratic cosponsors, introduced the Energy Bills Relief Act in the House today. Here’s how it will help bring down skyrocketing costs, advance an affordable clean energy future, and stop Trump’s dirty energy agenda.

Bringing down high energy bills

The Energy Bills Relief Act aims to stop Trump’s skyrocketing energy costs to save our families money. To help bring down costs, the Energy Bills Relief Act would:

• Provide assistance for energy bills to millions of households.
• Motivate electric utility companies to launch programs to save customers money.
• Support weatherization and other energy efficiency programs.
• Ensure the cost of powering large energy consumers, like data centers, doesn’t fall on households and small businesses.

Expanding clean energy to meet demand

Lowering energy costs would not be possible without more clean energy, which is the cheapest and fastest form of energy to get on the grid. To expand clean, affordable energy to bring down our costs, the bill would:

• Reverse the Trump administration’s attacks on clean energy. The Energy Bills Relief Act would restore the Inflation Reduction Act’s historic tax credits for clean energy and cleaner vehicles, which Republicans cut in their Big Ugly Bill.
• Expand community solar to bring affordable, clean solar power to more communities.
• Stop presidents from abusing the permitting process to block clean energy projects and prop up fossil fuels. Over the last year, Trump has illegally blocked clean energy projects using shady bureaucratic orders and made up national security arguments. This has delayed adding hundreds of gigawatts of clean, reliable energy to the grid that would help bring down energy costs.
• Responsibly develop clean energy. The bill would support state and local efforts to build renewable energy. It would also allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to charge developers a fee to fast-track permit applications.
• Speed up processes to connect clean energy projects to the grid to meet increasing demand with clean energy.
• Expand and upgrade our electricity grids to deliver more clean, affordable energy to consumers.

Take action and tell Congress: support the Energy Bills Relief Act

Clean energy is affordable energy. Renewable energy, like wind and solar, is on average 53% less expensive than the lowest-price fossil fuel alternative. By bringing more clean energy online, the Energy Bills Relief Act can help bring down our energy bills and help the planet at the same time. While Trump tries to drag us back to a dirty energy past, Democrats are leading the way to a clean, affordable energy future.

Passing EBRA is a critical step toward stopping Trump’s assault on our wallets, our communities and our climate. Call your member of Congress and tell them to support the Energy Bills Relief Act today!