Duckworth, Durbin, Casten, Sorensen Announce Annual Electricity Bills Have Risen 15% Under President Trump

Duckworth, Durbin, Casten, Sorensen Announce Annual Electricity Bills Have Risen 15% Under President Trump

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) announced new findings from the Joint Economic Committee Minority report released last week showing that electricity costs have risen significantly under the Trump Administration. On the campaign trail, President Trump repeatedly promised that he would slash electricity prices in half. However, according to new Committee projections, annual electricity costs for the average Illinois household are instead increasing by approximately 15%, or $200 this year.

"Despite his promises, Donald Trump has made nearly every aspect of our lives more expensive," Duckworth said. "From his reckless tariffs to increased health care costs and now to electricity bills, middle class Americans continue to foot the bill as Trump keeps making his billionaire buddies richer."

"Despite promising throughout his Presidential campaign to lower Americans' power bills, President Trump has done nothing since his inauguration to help Illinoisans afford their utilities. Instead, he's gutted wind and solar projects made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act and revoked hundreds of millions of dollars in clean energy grants for Illinois. Illinoisans are now paying as much as $200 more for their electricity bills because this Administration is more focused on culture wars than the cost of living," Durbin said.

"Donald Trump has made life more expensive for middle class Americans, all while making billionaires richer. He has blocked cheap energy projects which would improve access to the grid and lower costs for families. He has always put the interest of energy producers over energy consumers, and every American is paying the price," Casten said.

"Illinoisans shouldn't have to suffer from high electricity prices," Sorensen said. "There is bipartisan support to bring clean energy projects online that will bring down energy costs, create good paying jobs, and revitalize communities. President Trump promised to deliver on this, but he's instead chosen to kill projects that would help give Illinois families the financial relief they deserve."

Despite Trump's campaign promise to halve electricity prices, household electricity costs have increased in 47 out of 50 states. The full report is available here.

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