Keep Utilities On! Tell Congress to Co-sponsor the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act

People across the country have amassed billions of dollars in water debt during the pandemic. Now, in the midst of another COVID surge, they are in danger of having their water and other utilities shut off – a life-threatening injustice that must be stopped.

It’s time to take action to protect everyone's access to essential services.

Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Rashida Tlaib introduced the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act, which would provide nearly $40 billion to help wipe away household water, power and broadband debt across the country. The bill aims to include a moratorium on all utility shutoffs in the pending infrastructure package – a critical action necessary to protect vulnerable families and reduce further spread of COVID.

Send a message to your members of Congress today urging them to support the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act!

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Keep Utilities On! Tell Congress to Co-sponsor the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act

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Dear Congressmember,

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I urge you to support the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act to ensure that everyone has reliable, affordable access to necessities like running water, electricity and broadband.

Studies have found that moratoria on utility shutoffs reduced the spread of COVID and deaths linked to the virus. One report from Food & Water Watch and Cornell University found that a nationwide water shutoff moratorium during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic might have prevented 9,000 deaths and nearly 500,000 COVID infections.

People across the country have accrued billions of dollars in water debt during the pandemic. Now, in the midst of another COVID surge, they are in danger of losing access to critical utilities – a life-threatening injustice that must be stopped. 
 
The Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act provides:
-- $13.5 billion to address water debt
-- $13 billion for electricity debt
-- $13 billion for broadband internet debt
 
The legislation also establishes reporting requirements about disconnections and arrears. This debt relief and accompanying shutoffs moratorium will go hand-in-hand with CDC’s eviction moratorium to protect struggling households and help prevent the spread of COVID.

Communities urgently need the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act to keep the water, power and broadband on, and forgive crushing household utility debt. I urge you to support this legislation by signing on as a co-sponsor.

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If you are already a co-sponsor of the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act, thank you for your leadership on this critical issue! Please continue to be a champion for this important legislation.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]