Sense of Congress regarding the need for a nationwide moratorium on electric and natural gas utility disconnections during a Government shutdown

It is the sense of Congress that, for the duration of any lapse in interim continuing appropriations or full-year appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services, each relevant State regulatory authority and each electric or natural gas utility that sells electric energy or natural gas to a consumer should ensure that— (1) no electric or natural gas service to a consumer is terminated based on inability to pay; (2) reasonable efforts are made to safely reconnect electric and natural gas consumers that have lost service; (3) no electric or natural gas consumer is charged for reconnection services; (4) late fees and other penalties are waived for electric and natural gas consumers; and (5) there are no increases in cost-of-service to electric and natural gas consumers.