John,

Everyone deserves access to reliable, affordable, quality utilities. But when private corporations control utilities, maximizing profits is the sole priority as they enact cost-cutting measures that hike up utility rates, worsen service, and threaten jobs. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated disparities in utility access as communities who couldn't afford utility bills faced shut-offs at the height of the pandemic.

Representatives Cori Bush (MO-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) and Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) introduced the Resolution Recognizing the Human Rights to Utilities, which would recognize access to water, sanitation, electricity, heating, cooling, public transit, and broadband communications as basic human rights and public services that must be accessible, safe, affordable, sustainable, and reliable for every person.

Congress must act now to protect the most vulnerable among us. Click here to write a letter to Congress telling them to pass the Resolution Recognizing the Human Rights to Utilities!

Water, sanitation, and access to energy are vital to human life. Working people and their families are already facing incredible financial stress due to stagnant wages and rising inflation and, with what’s leading up to be our harshest winter in decades, rising heat costs.

No one should have to live without access to clean water or efficient heating. Especially during winter.

Join us as we call on Congress to pass the Resolution Recognizing the Human Rights to Utilities to affirm that utilities should be held under public control to ensure that they are accessible to all and prevent predatory, punitive measures like utility shut-offs and tax foreclosures.

Thank you for all that you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs