Families across the country are facing skyrocketing utility bills — and on top of that, flooding, heat waves, hurricanes and other climate disasters are deepening the cracks in our already fragile utility system. All of this is putting more families at risk of losing access to broadband, electricity, water and other essential services. Utilities are lifesaving services, yet they are increasingly under threat — especially for people of color and low-income communities.
The utility-shutoff crisis during the earlier years of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a long-overdue conversation about the right to access essential utility services. One thing is clear: Congress must declare that access to essential utilities like broadband, power and water is a human right. Please co-sponsor the Resolution Recognizing the Human Rights to Utilities.