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“We can only ‘build back better’ when we include the most vulnerable”
Today, U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced a bill aimed at stopping shutoffs of energy, water, and broadband service due nonpayment, and provide for families to have their utility debt forgiven.
Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Senate version of the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act in May. The legislators are advocating for the shutoff moratoria and debt relief measure to be included in a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that Congress is currently negotiating. President Biden is touting the package as an essential component of his “Build Back Better” infrastructure plan.
The Work for Me, DTE! Campaign applauds Rep. Tlaib, and strongly supports the bill, which will provide essential relief for many families facing the dire crisis of impending shutoff. Our Campaign advocated to the Michigan Public Service Commission for a permanent end to shutoffs for nonpayment when the pandemic began in March 2020. We maintain that all utilities should have an extremely high degree of accountability to the public — and as such should be subject to mandatory shutoff moratoria and debt forgiveness measures.
Absent such action from state-level officials, our elected representatives in Congress have pushed forward a creative solution to take federal action on the utility affordability crisis through a federal low-interest loan program available to energy, water, and broadband utilities. It is desperately needed: DTE performed an appalling 80,606 shutoffs to customers in 2020 while raking in more than $30M in excess revenue.
Briana Parker of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization said, “Access to water, energy, and internet is a human right! Communities that have been historically excluded deserve the right to live. We must wipe the debt in order to truly build back better.”
Juan Jhong-Chung, Policy Associate at the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, agreed: “We can only ‘build back better’ if we include the most vulnerable. Low-income communities and communities of color throughout Michigan continue to be impacted by systemic racism, pollution, and the COVID pandemic. How can investor-owned utilities make record profits while our families are left struggling to pay monthly bills and maintain their essential utility services?”
Michelle Jones, Energy Democracy Fellowship Coordinator at Soulardarity, voiced her support for the bill. “I know how important it is that our communities get some kind of debt relief for energy, because when you’re without power, or you’re worried about being shut off because you don’t have the finances, you are constantly in stress. I’ve been there. It’s not that I didn’t want to pay the bill, it’s that I couldn’t pay the bill. It was the worst when I was raising my children. Parents need to know that, when they need that gas, lights, heat to take care of their families, it’ll be there.”
Today, U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced a bill aimed at stopping shutoffs of energy, water, and broadband service due nonpayment, and provide for families to have their utility debt forgiven.
Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Senate version of the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act in May. The legislators are advocating for the shutoff moratoria and debt relief measure to be included in a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that Congress is currently negotiating. President Biden is touting the package as an essential component of his “Build Back Better” infrastructure plan.
The Work for Me, DTE! Campaign applauds Rep. Tlaib, and strongly supports the bill, which will provide essential relief for many families facing the dire crisis of impending shutoff. Our Campaign advocated to the Michigan Public Service Commission for a permanent end to shutoffs for nonpayment when the pandemic began in March 2020. We maintain that all utilities should have an extremely high degree of accountability to the public — and as such should be subject to mandatory shutoff moratoria and debt forgiveness measures.
Absent such action from state-level officials, our elected representatives in Congress have pushed forward a creative solution to take federal action on the utility affordability crisis through a federal low-interest loan program available to energy, water, and broadband utilities. It is desperately needed: DTE performed an appalling 80,606 shutoffs to customers in 2020 while raking in more than $30M in excess revenue.
Briana Parker of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization said, “Access to water, energy, and internet is a human right! Communities that have been historically excluded deserve the right to live. We must wipe the debt in order to truly build back better.”
Juan Jhong-Chung, Policy Associate at the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, agreed: “We can only ‘build back better’ if we include the most vulnerable. Low-income communities and communities of color throughout Michigan continue to be impacted by systemic racism, pollution, and the COVID pandemic. How can investor-owned utilities make record profits while our families are left struggling to pay monthly bills and maintain their essential utility services?”
Michelle Jones, Energy Democracy Fellowship Coordinator at Soulardarity, voiced her support for the bill. “I know how important it is that our communities get some kind of debt relief for energy, because when you’re without power, or you’re worried about being shut off because you don’t have the finances, you are constantly in stress. I’ve been there. It’s not that I didn’t want to pay the bill, it’s that I couldn’t pay the bill. It was the worst when I was raising my children. Parents need to know that, when they need that gas, lights, heat to take care of their families, it’ll be there.”
Gloria Lowe of We Want Green Too emphasized the significance of our elected officials stepping up. “We have an opportunity to start on the path to create a government that functions as a responsible party for all Americans, assisting us during a crisis. This is that time and why we support this bill.”