[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H2589-H2591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1810
MAKING LIFE MORE AFFORDABLE
(Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Ms. Rivas
of California was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the
minority leader.)
General Leave
Ms. RIVAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material in the Record on the subject of my Special Order
hour.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. RIVAS. Mr. Speaker, I am here today because we have yet to see a
bill offered on the floor during my time in Congress that would make
life more affordable for working families.
In fact, since the last time my freshmen colleagues and I were on
this floor talking about the Republicans' affordability crisis, Donald
Trump unconstitutionally started a war with Iran. So far there has been
no meaningful plan or strategy to ensure that America's national
security interests or our servicemembers are protected.
We mourn for the families and loved ones of the 13 servicemembers who
have already lost their lives in this war, and we hope that another
life is not lost.
After just over 2 weeks, Donald Trump's war in Iran has cost the
American people $11 billion. Donald Trump would rather pour billions of
dollars to start a war with another country than address the
affordability crisis that he and Republicans have created.
I recently conducted a survey of nearly 70,000 constituents in my
district and asked them a simple yes-or-no question: Instead of the war
in Iran, should Trump focus on making the cost of living more
affordable? Over 90 percent of those who responded said ``yes.'' This
sentiment is reflected across the Nation.
Donald Trump's war in Iran has the worst-ever support for a war at
its start. Trump's reckless and illegal war with Iran is yet another
example of how this administration has been out of touch with the
priorities of American families since he has been back in office.
The American people do not want our country to get sucked into
another forever war. The American people want the Epstein files
released. The American people want ICE to be reined in. The American
people want to pay less at the grocery store, at the gas station, and
at the doctor's office.
Since the war in Iran started, prices for gas, food, and other
essentials have spiked. Gas prices shot up 50 cents in just one week,
and oil prices hit $100 a barrel.
Experts believe that Trump's war in Iran could push the average cost
of gas to above $4 a gallon within weeks. Gas stations in Los Angeles
have hit over $8 per gallon.
But Trump says he doesn't have any concern about skyrocketing gas
prices. He even called anyone who is worried about the rising cost of
gas a fool.
When asked whether Americans should feel scared about retaliatory
attacks on U.S. soil, Trump replied: ``When you go to war, some people
will die.''
It is not enough to say that Donald Trump is completely out of touch
with the needs of the American people. He does not care about everyday
Americans. He is more concerned about lining the pockets of his
billionaire donors and starting wars to deflect from the issues people
actually care about.
My House Democratic Caucus freshmen colleagues and I refuse to let
Trump's distractions deter us from fighting for our constituents. We
remain focused on lowering costs for our constituents and holding Trump
accountable.
We all voted against Trump's war in Iran, to stop him from abusing
his power. It is clear that the American public and Congress do not
influence Trump's decisions, and he would rather be influenced by his
impulses and emotion.
Our constituents sent us to Washington to make life more affordable
for them, not to rubberstamp Trump and Republicans' agenda that
actively makes their lives worse for them.
Tonight, we will hear from some of the freshmen Democratic Caucus
members and the work that they are doing to make life more affordable
for their constituents.
I will start with the Congresswoman from Texas.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson), my
colleague and friend.
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend
Congresswoman Rivas for hosting this Special Order hour.
Mr. Speaker, millions of American families are struggling with the
skyrocketing cost of living. They can't afford gas, groceries, or their
bills.
Republicans in the White House week after week are gaslighting the
American people. Now, we are seeing Donald Trump make reckless foreign
policy decisions which are increasing the costs for American families
as we speak.
Over the past few weeks, the news out of the Middle East has been
alarming. Trump has significantly escalated military involvement in
Iran, a war that puts American lives at risk.
Now, let's talk about what this means for working families. Wars
aren't just fought overseas, but they are paid for right here in the
United States. Every increase in military spending and every escalation
of conflict has a ripple effect that touches grocery bills, utility
costs, and most immediately the price at the pump.
Gas prices are rising with an average gallon in Texas now between
$3.26 and almost $3.50, while diesel approaches $5 a gallon, a jump of
25 cents just this past week.
It is families who are paying the price: parents who are driving
their kids to school, commuters trying to get to work, and seniors who
are trying to make their Social Security stretch just a bit further.
All of this is happening while Trump and Republicans continue to
ignore the affordability crisis facing everyday Americans every day of
every week and every hour.
We are talking about real families deciding whether to fill their car
with gas or put food on the table. We are talking about the anxiety
that comes from not knowing how to cover the next bill when our leaders
gamble with the lives and the money of American taxpayers abroad.
The billion dollars that we are spending each day on this war could
be spent on supporting families, tax relief, the child tax credit,
healthcare, the Affordable Care Act--everything.
How many times have we heard from Republicans coming to this floor
clutching their pearls saying: Oh, we don't have the money to spend to
make healthcare accessible for so many people.
There are so many things that Republicans come down here to say that
we don't have the funding for, yet they are willing to let this
President spend
[[Page H2590]]
their hard-earned tax money on a war overseas instead of the needs of
the people right here at home.
While families are tightening their belts, Republicans in Washington
are going on a spending spree. They are continuing to try to fund a
foreign war with no end in sight, which the American people do not
want. All without addressing concerns right here on affordability right
now, at kitchen tables at home right now, for people in this country.
The picture could not be clearer. While Republicans prioritize
reckless wars over the well-being of the American people, Democrats are
laser focused on protecting working families and making sure they can
afford what they need to survive.
I urge Republicans to remember the people behind the numbers.
Remember the families struggling to fill their tanks, to buy their
groceries, and to pay their rent. Remember that every dollar spent on
this never-ending war is a dollar taken from American families already
stretched too thin.
Mr. Speaker, I stand here today not just to call attention to the
human cost of war but to call on all of us to act to protect the
families of this country, act to prioritize affordability and lower the
costs for those who need it, and act to ensure that the promise of the
American Dream is not priced out of reach for the millions of people
who sent us here to fight for them.
Ms. RIVAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs.
Grijalva), my colleague and friend.
Mrs. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of southern
Arizonans who are being squeezed to the brink, families who cannot keep
up with rising healthcare costs, soaring gas prices, and a future that
feels further and further out of reach.
Working families are struggling to get by. Instead of relief, they
are being ignored, all while Trump and House Republicans continue to
serve their billionaire friends and special interests.
Nearly 60 percent of families in this country are living paycheck to
paycheck. Yet, there is always money for war but never enough money for
the urgent needs of everyday people here at home.
The American people want healthcare, not warfare. This war alone has
cost us $22.8 billion. Think about that. That kind of investment could
have provided Medicaid to over 6 million children, funded head start
for 1.3 million families, canceled $20,000 in student debt for 1
million borrowers, or funded the ACA premium assistance that
Republicans refused to extend.
{time} 1820
These are investments southern Arizonans and Americans across the
country want to see. Working people are not interested in funding
another endless war while they struggle to fill their gas tanks and pay
their bills. Instead of putting billionaires first, Congress should
focus on policies that make people's lives better. It is time to start
putting the American people first.
Ms. RIVAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Menefee).
Mr. MENEFEE. Mr. Speaker, when I was 5 years old, Tupac Shakur said:
``You know, it's funny when it rains it pours. They got money for wars,
but can't feed the poor.''
Those words hit differently today.
Mr. President, nobody wants this war, and the American people cannot
afford it.
I am not an economist, but I do know this: The U.S. war with Iran has
rattled global markets, driven up oil prices more than 40 percent, and
sparked real fears of a worldwide recession. We feel it at home. Gas is
more expensive than it has been in a very long time. Flights cost more,
and groceries cost more.
However, this is bigger than just economics. It is about
accountability. I am a lawyer, and I know that every President swears
an oath to defend the Constitution, and that Constitution empowers
Congress to declare war, not the President. In this instance, Congress
was sidelined. The American people got no clear cause, no strategy, and
no endgame.
I say this as a proud son of two veterans. Their sacrifice meant
something. Mr. Speaker, you do not send our sons and our daughters into
harm's way without purpose, without justification, and without an
imminent threat.
We cannot afford this war, not economically, and not morally. When a
leader promises peace but delivers war, that is not just a policy
failure; that is a betrayal.
Americans do not support this war, and the President should end it
immediately.
Ms. RIVAS. I draw your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the poster behind
me. This is a real photo that my staff took of a gas station in Los
Angeles. It is a real photo. It is not AI, and it is not photoshopped.
Your eyes are not deceiving you, Mr. Speaker. You are seeing a real gas
station showing $8.71 a gallon for regular gas. In the span of 1 week,
gas prices shot up 50 cents--in just 1 week--and oil prices hit $100 a
barrel.
Gas prices are nearly $3.50 per gallon on average across the country,
but experts believe Trump's war in Iran could push the average cost of
gas to above $4 a gallon within weeks. Analysts say that Americans will
spend nearly $1 billion more on gas next week. Diesel prices are up 86
cents to $4.60 per gallon, and jet fuel prices have skyrocketed, hiking
prices for shipping and airfare.
Trump has not shown concern for how the rising cost of gas could hurt
Americans' wallets saying: ``If they rise, they rise.''
The United States produces more oil than any country on Earth, and
even that supply could not stop gas prices from surging 50 percent in
10 days. Drilling more will not help Americans at the gas pump when oil
companies are shipping oil barrels overseas, and it certainly will not
help when a strategic waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, is shut down.
Trump's only response is to call us fools and gaslight the American
people into thinking he is doing a good job. That is an out-of-touch
response from an out-of-touch person. Working families in Los Angeles
and across the country cannot afford Trump's war.
Across the country, families are sitting around the kitchen table and
are seeing their monthly costs rise with no help in sight. It is adding
up quickly, but then they turn on the TV and see that Trump has
unconstitutionally started a war in Iran without strategy or
justification.
Housing costs are skyrocketing. Grocery costs haven't gone down.
Healthcare is being placed out of reach for millions of Americans.
Republicans estimate that Trump's war is costing taxpayers upwards of
$2 billion a day, and yet they cannot find a dime to lower the cost of
living in this country.
Already, the cost of this war could have likely paid for extending
the Affordable Care Act tax credits this year. Instead, families across
the country are seeing their healthcare costs double and triple. In my
district, 31,000 families have seen their healthcare costs rise because
of Republican inaction. Additionally, nearly 11,000 people in
California's 29th District will lose access to health coverage because
of Republicans' refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that annual out-of-pocket
premium payments for ACA marketplace enrollees will increase from $888
in 2025 to over $1,900 in 2026.
Constituents in my district have made their voices heard: They would
rather Trump and Republicans focus on making healthcare more
affordable, not getting involved in another foreign conflict.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr.
Hernandez).
Mr. HERNANDEZ. There is a common thread that connects families across
Puerto Rico and the United States. It is the feeling of looking at a
grocery receipt and wondering if the math is wrong. It is the worry
that comes when the baby formula runs low or the doctor's bill comes
due.
It is the simple, honest truth that for too many of our neighbors: It
has simply become too expensive to live, and they are right to be
frustrated. That is because while they are doing the hard work, waking
up before dawn to get to the job and stretching every dollar to keep
the lights on, Washington has made a different choice.
Donald Trump has chosen a war of his own making in Iran. As a result,
every one of us is being asked to pay a war tax that we never voted for
and that we cannot afford.
[[Page H2591]]
In Puerto Rico, we feel this more deeply than most. We see the ships
on the horizon, and we know that almost everything we need to survive--
the food for our tables, the clothes for our children, and the fuel for
our cars--comes from abroad.
When a war starts halfway around the world, it doesn't stay there. It
makes the cost of running these ships higher, and so the cost of war
shows up at our local gas station. It shows up at the supermarket in
the price of a pound of chicken. It shows up in our paycheck where $10
here and $20 there are being snatched away to pay for a conflict we
don't need.
Washington should focus more on us, not on another endless foreign
war. Democrats are here fighting for Puerto Ricans. We are fighting for
the mother in Puerto Rico who deserves the same help from SNAP to buy
groceries as a mother in Florida or California. We are fighting for the
grandfather who shouldn't be turned away at a medical appointment by
his doctor because Medicaid ran out of money.
We are fighting for every family who deserves to know that when they
flip the switch, they won't go bankrupt because of higher electricity
and utility rates.
The Republican Party is thinking about war rooms and drones. We are
thinking about living rooms and kitchen tables. Americans and Puerto
Ricans should not have to bear the brunt of reckless decisions made
thousands of miles away. We have done our part. Americans have worked
the hours, they have kept the faith, and they deserve a government that
finally puts them and their families first.
{time} 1830
Ms. RIVAS. Mr. Speaker, before I close, I want to once again take a
moment to mourn the lives that have already been lost to this conflict.
My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the 13
servicemembers who have been killed in this war. My heart also goes out
to the innocent lives that have been taken as a result of this war,
including the over 170 people, mostly young girls, who were killed in a
school.
As we have seen, Donald Trump does not have a strategy to keep
innocent lives or our servicemembers safe. He started a war because he
once again refuses to address the issues Americans actually care about:
releasing the Epstein files, reining in ICE, and addressing the
affordability crisis he and Republicans started.
My House Democratic colleagues and I know that working Americans are
not interested in another forever war. They want to be able to afford
their rent, pay for their groceries, see their doctor, and fill their
tank without fear of going into debt.
I am proud to work with my colleagues to drive down the high cost of
living, fix our broken healthcare system, and make sure that
immigration enforcement in this country is fair, just, and humane.
House Democrats stand with working Americans and will always work on
solutions to alleviate their fears and keep their dreams within reach.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from
engaging in personalities toward the President.
____________________