Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden are leading a push to repeal Republican-backed energy tax provisions that Democrats claim will sharply increase electricity costs and undercut America’s clean energy sector.

On Friday, Senate Democrats introduced the Lowering Electric Bills Act, legislation they say would reverse tax hikes on wind and solar energy included in what they call President Trump’s “Big, Ugly Betrayal.” Democrats argue the Republican plan favors fossil fuels at the expense of working families and small businesses.

“Americans are already struggling to pay to power their homes and businesses every month,” Schumer said. “But instead of helping, Republicans handed a massive tax break to the wealthy and Big Oil—then paid for it by jacking up your energy bills.”

According to analysis cited by Senate Democrats, utilities have already filed for $29 billion in rate increases in the first half of 2025 alone. Energy Innovation, a policy think tank, estimates that Republican energy policies could cost Americans more than $33 billion over the next decade and lead to an 18% increase in electricity bills.

Wyden pointed directly to President Trump’s influence on energy policy, saying, “Donald Trump doesn’t like the sight of wind turbines near his resorts and he’s sold out the federal government to Big Oil lobbyists… what Trump and Republicans are doing to clean energy in America is a level of economic self-sabotage we’ve never seen in modern times.”

Democrats also claim the GOP tax changes jeopardize over 90% of new electricity projects expected in the next five years and could slash 340 gigawatts of clean power from future development—three times the capacity of the current U.S. nuclear fleet.

The bill is co-sponsored by dozens of Democratic senators and Independent Senator Angus King, who say the measure would restore clean energy incentives, lower household energy costs, and preserve American competitiveness in global energy markets.

Get the latest headlines delivered to your inbox each morning. Sign up for our Morning Edition to start your day. FL1 on the Go! Download the free FingerLakes1.com App for iOS (iPhone, iPad).