Bill · S. 3222· Senate(119-S-3222)
Stop Shut-Offs During Shutdowns Act
- Introduced
- 11/19/2025
- Last activity
- 11/19/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Sponsored by
- Edward Markey
- Cosponsors
- - 5 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Stop Shut-Offs During Shutdowns Act" expresses the sense of Congress regarding a need for a nationwide moratorium on utility disconnections during a government shutdown. This includes a focus on protecting electric and natural gas consumers when appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services are not in effect. The bill aims to prevent service termination based on an inability to pay and requires efforts to reconnect those who have lost service. Additionally, it seeks to waive late fees and prevent increases in the cost of service. The legislation also amends existing laws regarding the procedures for terminating electric service.
Yes· 3 of 6
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+8
The bill provides essential protections against utility shut-offs and additional fees for those who cannot pay during government shutdowns.
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+7
The bill prevents utilities from disconnecting electricity or gas based on inability to pay and waives late fees during specific government shutdowns.
Would people in cities be better off under this?+5
The bill protects utility consumers from disconnections and service fees during government appropriations lapses.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection from Utility Disconnections: The bill suggests that no electric or natural gas service should be terminated due to a consumer's inability to pay during a lapse in appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services (Section 2).
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Restoration of Service: It calls for reasonable efforts to be made to safely reconnect consumers who have lost their electric or natural gas service (Section 2).
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Financial Relief from Fees: The bill aims to ensure that consumers are not charged for reconnection services and that late fees and other penalties are waived (Section 2).
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Price Stability: It seeks to prevent any increases in the cost-of-service for electric and natural gas consumers (Section 2).
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Protection from Retroactive Costs: The bill states that costs incurred by electric utilities to comply with the service termination moratorium may not be retroactively assessed on consumers for whom service would have been terminated (Section 3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential Cost Recovery Mechanisms: While the bill aims to prevent retroactive assessments, it allows State regulatory authorities to establish alternative mechanisms for electric utilities to recover costs if those costs are substantial, prudently incurred, and cannot be recovered through regulated rates or supplemental funding (Section 3).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+8Good For Urban Residents+5Good For Middle Class Households+4
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+7
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+5
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Reduces Gas Prices+3
- 4/16/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/19/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon