CUB STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF BUDGET BILL

CHICAGO, July 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The budget reconciliation bill that passed today represents higher power bills for consumers in Illinois and across the country. Tax credits that help everyday people use solar power or energy efficiency to cut costs at home are wildly popular and highly successful. These incentives are cost-effective ways to cut utility bills, reduce energy prices for everyone, make the grid more reliable, create jobs and spark the economy.

This federal legislation ramps up the importance of Illinois continuing to pass strong, pro-consumer energy legislation, such as the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, to build off what we have achieved and better protect consumers from high utility bills.

These times call for strong consumer advocacy, and CUB is dedicated to working for consumer interests at the local, state, regional and federal levels as we fight for lower utility bills across Illinois.

-Jim Chilsen, Director of Communications, Citizens Utility Board (CUB)

Background:

• The House of Representatives passed the budget reconciliation bill on Thursday, July 3, by a vote of 218-214. The bill passed the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. The vote was 50-50, with the Vice President breaking the tie. The federal legislation now heads to the President for signing.
  
  
• Among other things, the bill ends these tax credits by Dec. 31, 2025:
  • The "residential clean energy credit" helps consumers recoup up to 30 percent of the costs of energy-saving projects, like installing rooftop solar panels.
  • The "energy efficient home improvement credit" helps people recoup up to 30 percent of the cost (up to $1,200/a year) for energy-saving projects, like a professional home energy audit; installing insulation; door, window and electric panel upgrades; and installing a high-efficiency air-conditioning unit. (There's an additional credit of up to $2,000 available for buying an electric heat pump or heat pump water heater.)
• Multiple studies have shown that rolling back clean energy tax credits could increase the average family's energy bill by hundreds of dollars within a decade. In Illinois, the League of Conservation Voters has estimated that the legislation could lead to a $168 a year increase in residential energy bills, and a 21 percent increase in commercial and industrial energy bills.

For more than 40 years the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has been Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog group. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has saved consumers more than $20 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or visit CUB's website, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

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SOURCE Citizens Utility Board