NEWS: Rep. Jamaal Bowman Calls Out Con Ed for Outrageous Price Hike

Statement

Today, Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) issued the following statement following Con Edison's outrageous price hike that is costing New Yorkers.

"Just in the last three days, I have heard from many of our neighbors who are calling and writing in about Con Ed's outrageous price hikes that have led to New Yorkers receiving energy bills that have doubled or even tripled in price," said Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16). "To drop these kinds of increases on families at any time is unacceptable, but to do so during a pandemic and in the middle of winter when families are using heaters to stay warm is unconscionable. Con Ed has made record profits while our neighbors, even before the rate increase, were forced to choose between staying warm and paying more or battling the cold to avoid a higher energy bill. While Con Ed points to a rise in fuel prices and jumps to pass this cost onto consumers, this is caused by one thing and one thing only: corporate greed that puts profits before people."

"Calling out this blatant show of corporate greed is not enough though -- our neighbors, some of whom are seniors who rely on social security income or parents who are contemplating letting their electricity be shut off, are struggling," added Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16). "I support our community in calling for an investigation into Con Ed's decision to raise prices on our neighbors and will continue working with the Biden Administration to stop companies like Con Ed from using the increased cost of fuel to implement unfair rate increases on consumers. I am calling on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to protect consumers from high energy costs this winter, and am urging my colleagues to immediately pass my Heating and Cooling Relief Act that will provide millions of people with assistance to pay their energy bills. We also need to have a deeper conversation about access to clean, affordable energy as a human right -- not an opportunity for profit -- which I believe can be facilitated by public ownership of utilities. I will keep fighting for our neighbors every step of the way.

On January 20, 2022, Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Heating and Cooling Relief Act, legislation to invest in and expand the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to universalize energy assistance. Currently, it is estimated that only 16 percent of households eligible for LIHEAP are actually served.

On January 5, 2022, Congressman. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), led a bicameral letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Richard Glick urging the agency to use its authority to protect consumers from unfairly high energy costs. Click here to read the letter.

On June 3, 2021, Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) introduced the Public Power Resolution with Congresswoman Bush to make electricity a public good for all Americans.

On February 22, 2022, Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) will be hosting a webinar for constituents on emergency federal heating assistance available through the Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program. Constituents can register for that webinar here.

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