NEW YORK – Today Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) joined Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) to introduce a Public Power Resolution which sets up a framework to guarantee basic utility services for all Americans while reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuels. 

Specifically, the Public Utilities Resolution calls to:

• Fund a just energy transition for public and co-op providers, to replace existing infrastructure with renewable, affordable alternative sources of power.
• Make federal energy renewable by requiring federal power providers, including the Tennessee Valley Authority & Power Marketing Agencies, to become accountable public, renewable power utilities.
• Transition from investor-owned power to renewable public power by establishing aggressive targets for investor-owned utilities’ decarbonization and end of shutoffs and bringing non-compliant utilities into an appropriate scale of public ownership.
• Promote energy democracy and transparent processes by establishing federal guidelines and incentives to enable communities and workers to hold all utilities accountable.
• Ensure grid resilience and universal access to affordable power by enacting a universal ban on electricity disconnections for nonpayment and enforcing progressive residential electricity rates.

“We need a transformation to our energy system that not only reflects our climate reality,” said Rep. Bowman. “We need an energy system that is of, by, and for the people — not corporations seeking the largest possible profit. As long as energy is treated as a commodity, not a right, poor people, workers, and communities of color will suffer. We need to make power a public utility to end man-made energy disasters and ensure that no family ever has to choose between keeping the lights on or feeding their kids. I’m proud to stand with Rep. Bush so that we can move closer to that future we all deserve.”

“Our country must transform its power system to be just, equitable, anti-racist, and climate- and disaster-resilient,” said Rep. Bush. “For too many families in St. Louis and across the country, the high cost of energy means having to choose between keeping the heat on in the winter or buying groceries. I, myself, have had to make that choice. This is a problem that does not affect everyone equally. The burden of high energy costs is felt disproportionately by low-income and Black and brown families. Every person has the right to these basic services and by making them public goods, we can unburden families and reduce our country’s dependence on fossil fuels.”

The resolution is co-sponsored by Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Marie Newman (D-IL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Mondaire Jones (D-NY), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ).

The resolution is supported by: The Democracy Collaborative, Center for Biological Diversity, Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy, Native Organizers Alliance, Just Community Energy Transition Project, Progressive Democrats of America, People's Action, Our Revolution, Sunrise Movement, Food & Water Watch, Demos, St. Louis Democratic Socialists of America, Sunrise St. Louis, Friends of the Earth U.S., Public Power NY Coalition, NYC Democratic Socialists of America, Corporate Accountability, Climate Hawks Vote, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Zero Hour, Indivisible, GASP, Institute for Policy Studies Climate Policy Program, NC WARN, Soulardarity, United for a New Economy, People Power Solar Cooperative, Churches United For Fair Housing, Inc., Rogue Climate, Our Power, Florida Rising, Local Clean Energy Alliance, Center for Popular Democracy, Partnership For Working Families, The United People Project, UTIER, CAMBIO PR, Queremos Sol, and more. To find a full list of endorsing organizations, click here.

The full text of the resolution can be found here. 

A summary of the resolution can be found here.

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