McCombie: Energy Policy Should be Reliable, Affordable, and Transparent

Today Governor JB Pritzker signed into law an $8 Billion tax hike for Illinois residents disguised as clean, reliable, affordable, energy policy. In response, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement:

"Governor Pritzker signed an $8 Billion energy bill today and called it "affordable." Illinois families will call it what it is when their bills arrive: expensive.

"Labeling this legislation the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act doesn't make it affordable; it makes it misleading. This bill expands mandates, bureaucracy, and regulatory control while offering no guaranteed, near-term relief for families already struggling with some of the highest utility costs in the Midwest.

"For years, Illinois Democrats have promised that the next energy bill would finally lower bills. Instead, today's new law keeps them waiting.

"This bill:

• Does not reduce current electric bills
• Does not add reliable baseload power fast enough to meet demand
• Does not protect families and employers from rising capacity and transmission costs

"The Governor's claims of "savings" over decades relies on unknown assumptions, but Illinoisans don't pay their electric bills in projections.

"Energy policy should be reliable, affordable, and transparent.

"House Republicans will continue pushing for an all-energy strategy that actually delivers reliable power and lower costs."