[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 10, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H2104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PRICES ARE TOO HIGH

  (Ms. Barragan of California was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, prices are too high. Under Trump's 
economy, Americans are paying more. Just the other day, Trump said he 
is very proud of this economy. Americans cannot afford this Trump 
economy.
  The nonpartisan Tax Foundation has said that under the watch of Trump 
and Republicans, the U.S. has had the largest tax increase as a percent 
of GDP since 1993 because of tariffs.
  These tariffs are a tax on the U.S. and Americans. They are 
estimating that U.S. households are paying a thousand dollars more in 
2025, and it is going to go up in 2026.
  Let's talk about electricity prices. Families across the country are 
opening their electric bills and asking: Why is my bill so high, and is 
anyone doing anything to bring down these prices?
  The Trump administration promised Americans they would cut costs, 
including energy costs. They promised cheaper power. Instead, families 
are paying more right now. While fossil fuel companies take in record 
profits, families are afraid to use the air-conditioner during 
dangerous heat waves because their electricity costs will spike. 
Seniors are turning off the heat on frigid winter days. Prices jumped 
sharply last year, far faster than paychecks.
  Last year, there were 43 different electricity rate hikes across the 
country, totaling over $11 billion in new costs for ratepayers. 
Millions of households are saying they cannot afford this. They are 
already behind on their utility bills, and more and more households 
have had their electricity shut off by utilities.
  This is not an accident. This is a choice by Trump and Republicans. 
Clean energy, like wind and solar paired with battery storage, is the 
cheapest power we can build. If we build more of it, we can lower 
electricity prices, which means American families will be able to turn 
the heat on in the winter or the AC on during dangerous heat waves, but 
the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are doing 
everything they can to stop clean energy that will help lower costs for 
the American taxpayer.
  They are rolling back programs that help build low-cost power. They 
are making it harder to build new wind, solar, and transmission 
projects. Projects that were already planned, financed, and under 
construction to deliver cheaper electricity are now stalled or 
scrapped. The result: higher prices for working families.
  House Democrats are fighting for affordable clean energy. We believe 
energy policies should make life easier, not harder.

                              {time}  1045

  Mr. Speaker, we believe the way to lower prices is to build more 
clean, affordable power, not less.
  We believe that no senior should have to choose between heat and 
medicine and no family should have their power shut off, while fossil 
fuel companies make more money than they have ever seen in the past.
  Americans deserve better than broken promises and rising bills. We 
must deliver lower costs including lower energy costs for American 
families.

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