By Kevin Landrigan
The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
(TNS)
U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., proposed a bipartisan bill to give working families an income tax credit to offset energy costs.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., is joining Pappas to introduce the bipartisan Energy Burden Tax Credit which, if adopted, would save the average New Hampshire household hundreds of dollars a year, Pappas said.
“No family should ever wonder if they can afford to keep their home warm during the winter months,” Pappas said.
“That’s why I’m introducing several bipartisan bills today that create a new energy tax credit to put money back in people’s pockets, help military families weatherize their homes and improve energy transmission so that we can bring down energy costs at the source.”
A family making $50,000 a year that pays the average cost of energy in New Hampshire ($223 per month) would get a refundable tax credit of $882, which would cut their costs by a third, Pappas said.
As crafted, the bill would cap any tax credit earned at $3,000 a year for a family or $1,500 for an individual filing a tax return.
The credit would only be available to individuals whose adjusted gross annual income is no more than $75,000 and up to $150,000 annually for a couple filing jointly.
Tax credit would be in place for three years, unless extended
If adopted, the credit would be available for the 2025-2027 tax years with the credit ending on Dec. 31, 2027, unless Congress reauthorized it.
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A spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee said Pappas supported “green scam deal” spending under President Joe Biden that raised, not lowered, energy prices.
“Every single chance he had, liberal Chris Pappas voted to advance Joe Biden’s agenda that caused energy bills to skyrocket,” said Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell in a statement.
“Granite Staters deserve a Senator who will fight for real solutions to lower costs, not be a rubber stamp for Democrats’ failed policies.”
Pappas is introducing two other related bills, one the Transmission Facilitation Program Reauthorization Act to bring back a Department of Energy program that gave states and communities federal aid for projects that develop new power lines or upgrade existing ones.
President Donald Trump approved federal support for some power line projects in 2025 while cutting billions in other clean energy projects Biden had advanced.
The Heroes Home Energy Savings Act that Pappas is offering would increase spending for the federal weatherization assistance program and give active-duty and reserve military families grants to help reduce their energy bills.
The bill would spend $350 million a year for the next five years with at least $2.1 million set aside to assist military families.
Congress has approved $300 million-to-$350 million in recent years for the program that included a large increase in the federal infrastructure law it passed and Biden signed in 2022.
New Hampshire has among the highest average energy bills in the nation.
Photo credit: YayaErnst/iStock
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© 2026 The New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.). Visit www.unionleader.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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