The warm weather has arrived in District of Columbia ... but we must be ready for next winter. That’s why we have to keep pushing the D.C. Council to hold a public hearing on Justice First’s proposed legislation “Winter Moratorium on Shutoffs of Heat Amendment Act of 2010.”

If passed, the Winter Moratorium Act will make it illegal for Pepco or Washington Gas to shut off the heat of any D.C. resident during the winter. Our families need this law to be in place by the time next winter rolls around, so please take action now.

Click here to write a letter to the D.C. Council demanding that it hold a public hearing on the Winter Moratorium bill. Even if you are not a D.C. resident, please participate. Success in the District of Columbia will set a precedent for your jurisdiction to enact the same type of Winter Moratorium.

Under current D.C. law, Pepco and Washington Gas have the right to shut off any customer during the winter for inability to pay as long as temperatures stay above 32 degrees on the day of disconnection.

At Justice First, we believe that heat and electricity are a right. Justice First’s “Winter Moratorium on Shutoffs of Heat Amendment Act of 2010” is just the first step. It will bring peace and assurance to the hearts of tens of thousands of D.C. residents, who will be guaranteed heat in their homes during the winter, even if, for example, they are laid off or have unexpected medical expenses.

Now we have to fight to make sure that this bill becomes a law! The first step is for the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs to hold a public hearing. This will not happen unless you take action!

Read Justice First's proposed legislation, the "Winter Moratorium on Shutoffs of Heat Amendment Act of 2010."