BELLEVILLE — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49) convened a roundtable to hear from local stakeholders about their ideas and vision to make gasoline and utilities more affordable, with a specific eye toward economic development, job growth, and solutions that can provide immediate relief to working families.
After the event, the group – which included representatives from labor unions, county governments, electric utilities, environmental advocates, and cooperatives – traveled to the AES solar site in Belleville to see firsthand the local benefits of clean energy investment, including job creation, emissions reductions and increased power supply.
Earlier this year, Budzinski and Levin were appointed by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries as Co-Chairs of a new affordability working group focused on Gas and Utility prices. The Leader tasked Budzinski and Levin with gathering ideas so House Democrats can hit the ground running on lowering costs for American families and addressing rising energy expenses in the next Congress.
“I’m honored that Leader Jeffries has tasked Rep. Levin and me with addressing one of the most important issues affecting Americans’ pocketbooks: gas and utility prices. We’ve watched this year as the President’s reckless policies have allowed those costs to skyrocket. Our solutions aren’t just about reversing that course—they’re about listening to people on the ground and advancing an all-of-the-above energy approach that creates jobs, reduces emissions, strengthens our energy independence and, most importantly, lowers costs,” said Rep. Nikki Budzinski. “That’s what today’s roundtable was about and marked an important first step as we work to develop a day-one agenda that can deliver on those goals.”
“Families across the country are getting squeezed by rising energy costs and utility bills that are outpacing their paychecks. That’s not sustainable, and it’s not acceptable,” said Rep. Mike Levin. “Today’s roundtable conversation with local leaders gave us a clearer picture of what’s driving up these energy costs and what Congress can do to bring relief. We discussed potential solutions and policy proposals that could lower costs and expand access to affordable clean energy to millions of Americans. The House Democrats Gas & Utilities Affordability Working Group will continue to gather feedback from across the country to create a legislative roadmap for the next Congress. We are laser-focused on delivering real solutions to address our country’s energy challenges and bring down costs.”
