Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced the Monitor Accountability Act as a companion bill to Congressman Biggs’s legislation passed in the U.S. House earlier this spring.
The bill sets clear rules for courts’ use of federal monitors, ending the profiteering exemplified in Maricopa County and New Orleans, Louisiana. Late last year, the federal consent decree for the New Orleans Police Department ended after 13 years, costing taxpayers an estimated $100 million. While Louisiana taxpayers are no longer footing the bill for this specific monitor, Maricopa County taxpayers are not as fortunate. The court-appointed monitor in Maricopa County has been in place for over a decade and has cost taxpayers $350 million—and still counting. These are just two examples of federal monitors across the nation that rack up expensive bills and undermine the public safety of the communities they oversee.
“I’m grateful for Senator Kennedy’s partnership in this fight to reinsert sorely needed congressional oversight over these out-of-control federal monitors,”said Congressman Biggs.“The stories of Maricopa County and New Orleans are abusive and well-documented, showing how these monitors operate without oversight across America. As I have said repeatedly, the destructive effects these monitors have on government budgets and public safety necessitate congressional action. I hope the Senate quickly passes this bill and sends it to the White House to be enacted into law.”
“Federal court monitors can serve an important purpose, but taxpayers should not have to fund open-ended monitorships that drag on for years without basic accountability,” said Senator Kennedy.“We basically let government contractors decide whether their own government contract keeps going. The Monitor Accountability Act would cap fees, limit terms and bring transparency to a system operating for far too long on autopilot.”
If enacted into law, the Monitor Accountability Act would require federal district courts to follow common-sense rules when appointing monitors to oversee state or local government agencies. This legislation includes the following terms:
Term limits: Monitors may serve no more than five years and cannot be reappointed under the same court order, preventing long‑term control by any single individual.
No revolving door: Successive monitors cannot come from the same law firm or employer, ensuring independence.
Fee caps & transparency: Monitor compensation is capped and courts encouraged to require pro bono or reduced-cost work to control costs and ensure transparency.
Public input: Courts must announce the proposed monitor and allow public comment before appointment.
Off-ramp for states / localities: A monitorship may only be extended if the state or locality has not achieved substantial and sustained compliance, preventing open‑ended oversight.
Judicial transfer: After six years, the case must be reassigned to a different judge to avoid prolonged control by a single court.
Retroactive fix: Immediately covers monitorships older than six years, including Maricopa County, triggering required replacement of both monitor and judge.
As the bill made its way through the legislative process in the U.S. House, several law enforcement officials and organizations highlighted their support for the policy, including Maricopa County Rachel Mitchell, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, Arizona Sheriffs’ Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, Major County Sheriffs of America, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, and Arizona Police Association.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., co-led a bipartisan letter with U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging a fully resourced, coordinated federal response to confirmed New World screwworm cases in Texas and New Mexico.
Schweikert asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide Congress with a clear accounting of sterile fly production and dispersal capacity, surveillance capabilities, treatment guidance, workforce needs and the resources needed to contain the outbreak.
“Arizona’s ranchers and veterinarians need clear guidance as federal agencies respond to confirmed New World screwworm cases in Texas and New Mexico,” said Schweikert. “I am asking USDA and HHS to provide Congress with a clear accounting of sterile fly production and dispersal capacity, surveillance capabilities, treatment guidance and the resources needed to contain this outbreak. Decades ago, the United States eradicated screwworm with sterile fly technology and aggressive field surveillance. Now we need to use those same tools, keep livestock producers informed and stop this outbreak from spreading.”
“New World screwworm has now reached New Mexico, putting our ranchers, livestock, wildlife, pets and rural economies at risk,” said Stansbury. “We successfully eradicated screwworm once before through sustained effort, scientific innovation and strong coordination across every level of government. To do so again, federal agencies must work together with Congress, and state, local and tribal governments to ensure that our response is fully resourced, rapid and well-coordinated. I stand ready to work with our federal, state and local partners to protect New Mexico’s communities, livestock industry and food supply.”
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the first U.S. New World screwworm case in a calf in Zavala County, Texas, on June 3. The outbreak has since spread to additional livestock cases in Texas and included a confirmed case in a pet dog in Lea County, New Mexico.
New World screwworm larvae burrow into living tissue, creating severe wounds that can threaten livestock, pets, wildlife and, in rare cases, people. The outbreak follows a sustained northward advance of New World screwworm through Central America and Mexico since 2023 and poses a serious threat to American livestock producers, rural communities and the nation’s food supply.
In the letter, Schweikert requested that USDA and HHS provide:
A detailed accounting of current and planned sterile fly production and dispersal capacity, including timelines for any additional facilities or resources needed to address the spread of New World screwworm;
An assessment of surveillance and monitoring capacity in at-risk states, and any additional resources required to expand it;
Updated, clear guidance for livestock producers, veterinarians and the public on prevention, detection and treatment, including how producers can access USDA resources and support;
A staffing and workforce assessment for APHIS and other agencies involved in the response;
Regular updates to Congress on case counts, response activities and resource needs; and
An estimate of additional resources, including any supplemental funding for local agriculture extension services, needed to fully resource the response.
“The United States successfully eradicated NWS once before, through decades of sustained effort and scientific ingenuity,” Schweikert, Stansbury and their colleagues wrote. “We are confident that with the full and coordinated mobilization of federal resources, we can do so again.”
The full letter can be read below: Dear Secretary Rollins and Secretary Kennedy:
We write to express our deep concern regarding the confirmed detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in the United States for the first time in sixty years. Since USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the first case in a calf in Zavala County, Texas, on June 3, 2026, the outbreak has grown to twelve confirmed cases, including the first confirmed case in a pet dog in Lea County, New Mexico, last week. This spread, the result of a sustained northward advance of NWS through Central America and Mexico since 2023, represents a serious threat to American livestock producers, companion animals, wildlife, and our country’s food supply. We urge both Departments to ensure that the federal response is fully resourced, rapid, and well-coordinated in responding to this threat.
We recognize USDA’s completion of the sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, the investment of $21 million to expand production capacity in Mexico, and the deployment of sterile flies in South Texas and surrounding areas. We also commend the Food and Drug Administration for its emergency authorization of treatments for affected animals. The crossing of the NWS into U.S. territory is a threshold moment that demands a proportional escalation.
The federal response must reflect a true whole-of-government commitment. NWS
threatens a broad range of federal equities, including economic losses for livestock producers and potential infestations in wildlife and companion animals. While the current human risk remains low, the documented presence of the fly in the United States requires vigilance and clear public health guidance. We ask that USDA and HHS establish formal, ongoing coordination between APHIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and relevant state agencies in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and other affected or at-risk states to ensure that surveillance, treatment guidance, and public communication are coordinated. Workforce capacity, including the institutional knowledge needed to manage this response effectively, should also be assessed, particularly given ongoing staffing pressures across federal agencies.
To ensure the response is fully resourced and proportional to the threat, we respectfully request that USDA provide our offices with the following:
A detailed accounting of current and planned sterile fly production and dispersal capacity, including timelines for any additional facilities or resources needed to address the spread of NWS;
An assessment of surveillance and monitoring capacity in at-risk states, and any additional resources required to expand it;
Updated, clear guidance for livestock producers, veterinarians, and the public on NWS prevention, detection, and treatment, including how producers can access USDA resources and support;
A staffing and workforce assessment for APHIS and other agencies involved in the NWS response, to ensure adequate personnel are in place to carry it out;
Regular updates to Congress on case counts, response activities, and resource needs; and
An estimate of additional resources, including any supplemental funding for local agriculture extension services, that would be needed to fully resource the response.
The United States successfully eradicated NWS once before, through decades of sustained effort and scientific ingenuity. We are confident that with the full and coordinated mobilization of federal resources, we can do so again.
We stand ready to work with both Departments, State governments, local extension services, and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that producers, veterinarians, and communities across the country have the support they need. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)
Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Lori Trahan (MA-03), along with 122 of their colleagues, demanded that the Trump administration stop injecting its MAGA agenda into the traditionally nonpartisan federal grantmaking process. In a letter to White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, the lawmakers demonstrated how the administration’s proposed changes will impede critical health research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Since the end of World War II, NIH has relied on qualified experts to determine which health care research puts Americans’ tax dollars to best use. This thorough, nonpolitical process has set the global standard for high-quality grant review and propelled U.S. institutions like the NIH and its grantees to the forefront of scientific innovation, discovery, and research.
A proposed policy change from OMB will give partisan political appointees final say over grant decisions. Undoing the peer review process in favor of political grantmaking will delay and disrupt health care research that millions of Americans depend on.
“We write in opposition to the Office of Management and Budget’s disastrous and likely unlawful proposed rule that would devastate American health care innovation for generations,” the lawmakers wrote. “This alarming change would convert our venerable grant review process into a political obstacle course and insider’s game, irreparably damaging our nation’s leading health research institutions, including the National Institutes of Health and its grantees across the country.”
The lawmakers called on the Trump administration to halt any rule changes that will allow grantmaking and research decisions to be made based on the president’s personal or ideological agenda, by political appointees and without congressional authorization.
“OMB’s guidance would provide little recourse to people subject to political retribution,” the lawmakers continued. “President Trump’s sacking of thousands of NIH researchers and scientists has led to severe understaffing and grant approval delays at NIH. This rule change would make an already problematic situation disastrous.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
Speaker Johnson Welcomes Winner of 2026 Congressional Art Competition to the U.S. Capitol
Maycie Howard of Airline High School in Bossier City won first place for her painting, “A Moment at Cypress Black Bayou”
Washington, June 29, 2026
WASHINGTON — On Thursday in the U.S. Capitol, Speaker Johnson visited with Maycie Howard, this year’s first-place winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Louisiana’s Fourth Congressional District. Maycie’s painting, “A Moment at Cypress Black Bayou,” will hang in the U.S. Capitol for one year.
The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide, visual art contest for high school students, in which one piece of artwork from each congressional district is chosen by a panel of judges to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. The second, third, and fourth place selections will be proudly displayed in Speaker Johnson’s congressional offices. Click here for more on this year’s winners.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced the People Over Poison Act, legislation to protect Americans’ right to hold pesticide manufacturers accountable under state law when they fail to warn consumers about the risks of their products. The bipartisan bill comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Bayer—formerly Monsanto—in Monsanto v. Durnell, a case centered around Roundup, the company’s widely used glyphosate-based herbicide. In its decision, the Court held that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) preempts state-law failure-to-warn claims when those claims involve a warning not mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Pingree and Massie’s People Over Poison Act would reverse the Monsanto v. Durnell ruling by explicitly stating that FIFRA does not block or limit state tort claims related to pesticide labeling or packaging—preserving the right of people harmed by pesticides to seek accountability in court.
“The Supreme Court just handed Big Chemical the legal immunity its lobbyists and millions of dollars couldn’t buy in Congress,” said Pingree. “Federal pesticide law was never supposed to be a liability waiver for corporations, and not a permission slip to hide behind insufficient labels while people get sick. For all the Trump Administration’s talk about ‘Making America Healthy Again,’ it keeps siding with chemical companies in court, dragging its feet on long-overdue safety reviews, and even boosting glyphosate production. Enough with the empty slogans and broken promises. If this Administration won’t put people’s health over corporate profits, Congress must. The right to seek justice in court is one of our most foundational freedoms, ensuring that every American has a fair chance to be heard and hold powerful interests accountable.”
“The Supreme Court just ruled that Monsanto/Bayer can’t be sued for omitting a warning even if their herbicides do cause cancer,” said Massie. “Even if the legal reasoning of the court is sound in this case, it’s a blatant travesty of justice. Congress and the President can fix this and we absolutely should.”
State tort law has served as a critical backstop when federal regulators fail to fully protect the public from dangerous products. The Supreme Court’s ruling threatens to upend that balance by removing the ability to hold pesticide manufacturers accountable through state failure-to-warn claims.
The implications extend far beyond Roundup and glyphosate. The ruling could affect future claims involving other pesticides and chemical products, including cases where farmers, farmworkers, landscapers, groundskeepers, and consumers allege they were not adequately warned about serious health risks.
Pingree, a longtime farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee, successfully removed a liability shield for Big Chemical from the FY2026 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill. After similar language appeared in the draft Farm Bill, Pingree led an amendment during Committee markup to strip the language. She and Rep. Massie introduced the same amendment when the Farm Bill came before the full House of Representatives. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-Fla.) identical amendment passed with strong bipartisan support. Earlier this month, Luna and Pingree introduced the Paraquat Prevention Act, legislation that would ban the herbicide paraquat.
In February, President Trump signed an Executive Order to increase domestic production of glyphosate—a widely used weedkiller that has been linked to multiple health issues, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In response, Pingree and Massie introduced the No Immunity for Glyphosate Act, which would undo Trump’s Executive Order.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) urged Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) to reconsider policies limiting cancer patients’ access to critical medications. In a new letter to BCBSM President and CEO Tricia Keith and Executive Vice President James Grant, Congresswoman Dingell raised concerns about policies that are creating new barriers for Michigan cancer patients trying to access oncology medications.
In the letter, the congresswoman warns that recent pharmacy benefit management structures are restricting patient choice and increasing out-of-pocket costs for patients already facing the immense physical, emotional, and financial burden of a cancer diagnosis.
A copy of the letter can be foundHEREand text is below:
Dear Ms. Keith and Mr. Grant:
This letter is to express serious concern regarding recent policy changes by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan affecting access to critical oncology medications for patients across the state. There have been troubling reports that current pharmacy benefit and distribution arrangements implemented on January 1st are restricting patient choice and creating barriers to timely, coordinated cancer care.
Patients facing a cancer diagnosis already confront immense physical, emotional, and financial burdens. Policies that limit where patients can obtain their prescribed therapies, particularly when they are directed away from their treating oncology teams, risk compounding these challenges. Constituents have reported disruptions in care coordination, treatment delays, and increased out-of-pocket costs.
Of particular concern are reports that, through pharmacy benefit management structures, including ownership of Prime Therapeutics and its partnerships with Express Scripts, cancer patients in Michigan are required to use Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy as the exclusive provider for certain specialty oncology drugs. This arrangement restricts access and limits patient choice, regardless of geographic accessibility or established provider relationships. Such policies can disrupt integrated oncology care, which is essential for managing complex treatment regimens and ensuring adherence. Patients have also reported challenges with medication delivery, reduced access to financial assistance, and delays in receiving therapies due to less direct coordination with their care teams.
These practices may also contribute to avoidable medication waste, particularly given that oncology therapies are highly specialized, costly, and sensitive to timing and handling. When medications are dispensed outside of coordinated care settings, they are more likely to be delayed, discontinued, or rendered unusable due to changes in a patient’s condition, driving unnecessary costs across the healthcare system while undermining patient care. The impact of these policies is not merely administrative, it is deeply personal. Patients report losing control over critical aspects of their care at a time when stability and trust are essential. Even short delays in treatment can have meaningful clinical consequences. Broader trends in Michigan further underscore these concerns. Hundreds of independent pharmacies have closed in recent years, many linked to pharmacy benefit management practices, reducing access points for care, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
Patients must retain the ability to access their medications through any qualified pharmacy. Greater transparency in pharmacy benefit arrangements and the elimination of exclusive pharmacy mandates are essential to protecting patients and maintaining a fair, competitive healthcare system. Accordingly, I urge you to reconsider policies that may be contributing to these challenges and to work collaboratively with providers and stakeholders to ensure oncology patients receive timely, affordable, and coordinated care without unnecessary barriers.
I appreciate your attention to this urgent matter and welcome continued engagement on solutions that prioritize patient access and well-being.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)
Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced a $7.1 million federal grant to help more Kansas youth and young adults with intellectual disabilities — particularly in underserved communities — access job training, build career skills, and connect with employment opportunities in high-growth industries.
“Every Kansan who wants to work should have the opportunity to build a career and support themselves,” said Davids. “This investment will help more young people with disabilities gain the skills, training, and support they need to succeed in the workforce. That’s good for those workers and their families, and it helps Kansas employers connect with talented people who are ready to contribute to our economy.”
“We are thrilled to receive continued funding for this important initiative, ensuring that youth and young adults with disabilities across Kansas have greater access to the services, supports and opportunities they need to thrive,” said Mike Beene, Assistant Secretary, Kansas Department of Commerce. “This continued investment will strengthen Kansas’ capacity to expand transition services and build sustainable partnerships that help individuals and families navigate pathways to community participation, education, and most importantly, employment.”
The$7,135,150 grant for the Kansas Department of Commerce was awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor’sEquitable Transition Model (ETM) Demonstration Grant Program. The program is designed to help participants successfully transition into competitive jobs, earn higher wages, and build long-term economic independence.
Davids has long worked to expand economic opportunity for Kansans with disabilities and build an economy that works for everyone. In Congress, she hasintroduced legislation to expand savings options for workers with disabilities,strengthen access to job training and career support without risking Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, andmodernize Supplemental Security Income eligibility requirements to help more individuals achieve financial independence.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill today to prohibit the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) from charging individuals in its custody copays for health care visits. People serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies are in BOP custody.
“People incarcerated in BOP facilities need to be empowered to address health concerns early, rather than waiting until problems become severe. Catching issues before they escalate is not only more medically sound, it also spares the federal government significant costs, which ultimately benefits taxpayers,” Norton said. “We want people leaving prison to be stable, productive members of their communities, and that outcome is impossible if we’ve neglected their physical and mental health while they were incarcerated. Placing financial barriers between inmates and the medical attention they need works directly against the mission of rehabilitation.”
BOP inmates are currently required to pay a fee of $2.00 per health care visit. Inmates earn only $0.12 to $0.40 per hour from work assignments.
Norton’s introductory statement follows.
Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Fairness in Federal Bureau of Prisons Medical Care Act of 2026
Today, I introduce the Fairness in Federal Bureau of Prisons Medical Care Act of 2026. This bill would eliminate the copay the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) imposes on individuals in its custody when they visit a health care provider.
Under BOP rules, individuals in its custody are required to “pay a fee for health services of $2.00 per health care visit.” While $2 may seem insignificant, individuals in BOP custody earn only twelve to forty cents per hour on their work assignments. Moreover, while copays can reduce unnecessary visits, we should be encouraging individuals in BOP custody to seek medical care before their conditions worsen and become more expensive for taxpayers. Preventive and early care are better for patients and taxpayers than costly treatments.
Under BOP rules, if an individual in BOP custody is found responsible through the disciplinary hearing process of having caused an injury to another person in BOP custody that required a visit to a health care provider, the offending individual is required to pay the $2 copay for the injured individual’s visit. That rule would not change under this bill.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)
Headline: Carter vote secures aviation safety training tool for Savannah airport
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded $7.6 million to replace the current air traffic control training system at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), increasing safety, reducing delays, and modernizing air travel. Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) voted in favor of this funding as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024.
The funding supports the Brand-New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) Retrofit of Tower Simulation Systems (TSS) to SAV. TSS is a high-fidelity, computer-based, and immersive training tool used by the FAA to train Air Traffic Controllers in a safe, simulated environment. These systems feature 360-degree views, realistic airport layouts, and variable weather conditions, reducing controller certification time by up to 30%, increasing safety and efficiency at major airports.
“The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport had a record-breaking year in 2025, welcoming more than 4.2 million passengers from across the country and around the world. While we love bringing visitors to the Hostess City of the South, that growth comes with the responsibility to maintain the highest standards of aviation safety and efficiency,” said Rep. Carter. “This investment in new air traffic control training systems will prepare the next generation of air traffic controllers to keep passengers safe as we welcome more visitors to experience the beauty of coastal Georgia.”
“We appreciate the support from Congressman Carter to help ensure the air traffic controllers at our airport have the most current training systems available to keep air travelers safe,” said Greg Kelly, Executive Director, Savannah Airport Commission.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)
WASHINGTON – Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) led members of the California delegation in sending a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, urging him to suspend the state’s upcoming gas excise tax increase on July 1, 2026. Beginning next month, the tax will rise from 61.4 cents per gallon to 63.4 cents per gallon, meaning drivers will pay a combined total of 71.4 cents per gallon extra when factoring in the state sales and use tax rate. These taxes don’t include the other mandated fees that cumulatively result in a staggering $1.15-per-gallon surcharge on every gallon of gas sold in California.
For the last four years, Congressman Valadao has led efforts to suspend the annual July 1st gas excise tax increase to provide much-needed relief to California families. Congressman Valadao was joined in the letter by Reps. James Gallagher (CA-01), Kevin Kiley (CA-03), Tom McClintock (CA-05), Vince Fong (CA-20), Jay Obernolte (CA-23), Young Kim (CA-40), Ken Calvert (CA-41), and Darrell Issa (CA-48).
“California drivers pay almost $2 more per gallon than the national average, yet Governor Newsom continues to advance policies that will drive prices even higher,”said Congressman Valadao.“Central Valley families are already feeling the strain of California’s high cost of living, and they can’t afford to pay an extra 71 cents per gallon every time they fill up their tanks. For years, I’ve urged Governor Newsom to suspend the annual gas excise tax increase and pause regulatory measures that raise prices for consumers, but those calls have gone unanswered. It’s past time for Sacramento to stop these harmful price hikes, prioritize domestic energy production, and ease the burden on hardworking Californians instead of adding to it.”
The letter comes one year after the California Air Resources Board (CARB) implemented updates to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) which it claimed would save Californians billions of dollars. Instead, these regulations have directly contributed to rising fuel prices for both energy producers and everyday consumers.
“According to AAA, the average price of gasoline in California is currently $5.58 per gallon—the highest in the nation and $1.65 above the national average,”the letter states. “State and local taxes, along with regulatory programs such as the LCFS, Cap-and-Trade, and the State Underground Storage Tank Program, are significant contributors to these elevated costs, collectively adding approximately $1.15 per gallon, or roughly 20 percent of the total price. Given these already high costs, further increasing the excise tax would only place an unnecessary burden on consumers and businesses across the state.”
Instead of further unaffordable increases to the state’s gas excise tax, the lawmakers urged Governor Newsom to prioritize commonsense energy policies that will provide meaningful financial relief for all Californians.
“California families are already being crushed by the highest fuel prices in the nation, and now they’re set to increase even more,”said Rep. Gallagher.“As gas prices continue to spike, the impact will extend far beyond the pump. Higher transportation and fuel expenses will increase the cost of everyday goods and services for hardworking California families and businesses. Gavin Newsom and the Democratic-controlled Legislature should act now to stop this increase on July 1st and help protect Californians from even greater financial hardship.”
“When Governor Newsom closes our oil refineries and jacks up taxes, he’s not fighting the oil industry – they just move on – he’s fighting California consumers, employers and families who struggle to pay his highest in the nation taxes,”said Rep. Kiley.“Beginning July 1, just as Americans are preparing to travel for the holiday weekend, the gas tax in California will rise from 61.4 cents per gallon to 63.4 cents per gallon. All we are asking for is a pause, so consumers reeling from California’s enormous taxes can get a break this summer.”
“The gas tax was promised to be used to maintain and expand our roads,”said Rep. McClintock.“Sacramento politicians have made a mockery of that promise – charging the highest gas tax in the nation while starving our highways. The biggest price gouger in California IS California.”
“Californians already pay the highest gas prices in the nation, and more than half of every gallon’s cost is driven by Sacramento’s taxes, mandates, and regulations,”said Rep. Fong.“Raising the gas tax now would only make life more expensive for families who are already feeling the strain of California’s high cost of living. Governor Gavin Newsom should stop this gas tax increase and focus instead on expanding domestic oil and gas production to help lower energy costs.”
“Increasing the gas tax again will only make life more expensive for families, workers, and small businesses who are already struggling with the high cost of living,”said Rep. Obernolte.“Californians already pay the highest gas taxes in the nation, yet our roads remain among the worst. One-party rule in Sacramento has spent years piling on taxes, mandates, and regulations that drive up the cost of fuel and make our state less affordable for California families. Before raising the gas tax yet again, Sacramento should focus on commonsense policies that lower costs, improve our fuel supply, and actually fix the roads Californians are already paying for.”
“Gavin Newsom’s newest gas tax will cause Californians to pay $1.15 extra per gallon every time they fill up,”said Rep. Kim. “Californians have suffered enough. Newsom must suspend this gas tax and for once give hardworking families the relief they deserve.”
“Since California Democrats passed this automatic gas tax increase, it has more than doubled from 27.8 cents per gallon to now 63.4 cents per gallon,”said Rep. Calvert.“Californians pay the highest gas prices in the country but rarely see any road improvements, freeway expansions, or improved commute times. Governor Newsom should suspend the tax and give Californians much needed relief at the pump.”
“California drivers already pay the highest gas prices in the nation, but not high enough for Gavin Newsom and Sacramento Democrats and their appetite for even more pain at the pump,said Rep. Issa.“Along with all my GOP colleagues from California, we’re calling this out and urging a better way: common-sense energy policies that will deliver more supply, lower prices, and lasting relief for all Californians.”