With Energy Bills Skyrocketing Since Trump Took Office, Senate Dems Expose How Trump’s Big Oil Agenda & Failed Energy Policies Are Crippling Americans
With Energy Bills Shooting Up Almost 3X More Than Inflation, Democrats Continue Year-Long Push On Affordability By Shining Spotlight On Rising Energy Costs
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Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Democrats continue year-long push on affordability as Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Ranking Members Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) released a ‘Broken Promises’ report on how President Trump’s war on clean energy and deference to Big Oil and Gas has led to skyrocketing energy costs for American families.
On the campaign trail, Trump promised that he would cut American families’ energy costs in half. But in his first year, American families have seen their energy bills skyrocket – electricity bills have risen almost three times faster than inflation. The higher costs are a direct result of Trump and his administrations’ crooked policies and ideological vendettas. Rather than embrace the abundance and affordability of clean energy, Trump has waged a war on its usage – killing projects already in production, wasting taxpayers’ resources, and eliminating good-paying jobs, all while raising costs. At the same time, he is engaging in a pay-to-play scheme with Big Oil and Gas – making good on his promise to boost the fossil fuel industry if his donors raised money for his campaign.
Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee Martin Heinrich (D-NM) released a new “Broken Promises” report exposing how Trump and his failed policies—from starting a war in Iran to sending more American energy overseas to failing to modernize the grid and prepare for extreme weather—have caused skyrocketing energy costs for families across the country. As Trump and Republicans fuel chaos and corruption, Americans are left footing the bill.
This report marks the third phase in the Senate Democrats’ broader 2026 Costs Initiative, which is aimed at addressing the economic pressures facing working families. In January, Senate Democrats focused on lowering the cost of housing, and earlier this month, Senate Democrats turned to the rising costs of groceries and household costs.
“For the last year, Trump and Republicans’ failed policies have driven up the cost of energy, leaving American families to foot the bill. Rather than embrace the most affordable and quickest-to-build power sources – clean energy – Trump has waged an ideological war that will leave families poor and sicker,” said Leader Schumer. “Trump’s promise to cut your energy bill in half is just another in a long line of broken campaign pledges — promising Americans the moon and then selling them out to the highest bidder. This report makes clear how Trump’s policies are driving up costs — from sending American energy overseas to failing to modernize the grid and prepare for extreme weather. Put it all together and the pattern is clear: Trump promised to lower your energy bills. Instead, his policies are making families pay more so Big Oil can make more. And Senate Democrats are exposing that truth.”
“Utility bills are soaring across the country because the Trump administration is throttling cheap, clean energy and forcing grids to call up expensive fossil units – all to line the pockets of the planet’s biggest polluters. It’s a corruption scheme,” said Senator Whitehouse. “When ratepayers pay more month after month, they deserve to know that Trump’s clean energy sabotage is the cause.”
“President Trump promised Americans relief from skyrocketing electricity costs. Instead, those costs have gone up by as much as 13% as Trump’s attacked clean energy projects that would have helped bring down prices,” said Senator Heinrich. “Hardworking Americans deserve better than broken promises — they deserve energy they can afford.”
This afternoon, at 3:15 PM ET, Leader Schumer and Ranking Members Whitehouse and Heinrich will co-host a roundtable with Senate Democrats and energy, utility, and labor experts to spotlight how the Trump administration’s policies have driven up energy prices for working families.
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