House Democrats launched a caucus Thursday dedicated to the bipartisan goal of lowering electric bills for Americans, but the effort so far includes no Republican lawmakers as the 2026 midterms loom.
Rep. Josh Riley (D-N.Y.), who is leading the formation of the Congressional Lowering Utility Bills Caucus, said at a press conference that the group’s focus is on reining in electric utilities he argues have unfairly driven up costs for consumers — rather than scoring political points.
“We’re taking on a really entrenched system that’s been around for a long time. It’s completely rigged,” Riley said. “I’m not asking, are you a Democrat or a Republican? The issue is the utility bills are way too high.”
The caucus currently has the support of 16 House Democrats from Northeastern states and California, but Riley said the effort presents an opportunity for lawmakers in both parties to reexamine how utilities are structured and regulated.
