Representative Scott Peters

Dear [salutation],

The summer season is typically a time for folks to travel, spend time with loved ones while kids are out of school, and enjoy time outside. But this summer, too many San Diegans are being crushed by the cost-of-living. Gas prices are up 30%. Electricity is up 15%. Even a day trip to the beach with towels, sunscreen, beach toys, and more is 21% more expensive this summer than it was one year ago according to Sticker Shock Summer.

President Trump campaigned on a promise to lower costs on day one. But for too many people, it seems that life has only gotten more expensive. I’ve worked on several bills that would tackle the high cost of living in San Diego, including legislation to expand affordable housing and lower your monthly energy bills. These affect everyone.

War in Iran Increases Costs

One of the main factors in the affordability crisis is President Trump’s war in Iran which drove up the price of gas. Almost immediately after the President sent us to war (without the legal approval needed by Congress under Article 1 of the Constitution), Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz. This showed Iran that they now have full control of the Strait, and it choked off a major global route for oil. This not only affects people at the pump, but it causes the price of basic goods to rise as well. According to the Center for American Progress, the war has:

pushed inflation up to the highest level in three years to 4.2 percent

driven up interest rates and made it more expensive to borrow money

cost about $1,100 per American household

This war has cost us more than that - billions of dollars in taxpayer money, regional stability, and the lives of 18 American servicemembers. Since this conflict started over 150 days ago, I’ve voted to pass a War Powers Resolution five times. This would limit the president's ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad without congressional approval.

I am encouraged that both the House and Senate have now passed War Powers Resolutions, but for this resolution to work, both chambers must pass the same exact version. I’m hopeful the House and Senate will come together and finally rein in the President’s war-of-choice that’s costing American families far too much.

Tariffs Increase Costs

Another Trump Administration policy that has driven up costs is his tariffs, which are essentially additional taxes. They’ve increased the price of everyday household goods (like cleaning supplies, clothing, and furnishings) and have added an estimated $1,000 annually to household costs.

In San Diego, a region that depends on trade and innovation, our economy is particularly sensitive to President Trump’s tariffs. Nearly 97 percent of our $34.5 billion in goods exports go to Mexico. This supports roughly 95,000 jobs in critical industries like aerospace, medical devices, and semiconductors.

Tariffs also increase the price of building materials, which raises the cost of housing. The Center for American Progress estimates that tariff-induced higher costs will lead to 450,000 fewer homes being built over the next five years, at a time when we are short millions of homes. That is exactly the opposite of what Donald Trump campaigned on.

Thankfully, both the Supreme Court and the US Court of International Trade ruled that several of his tariffs are illegal. And shortly after these rulings, US Customs reported the issuance of $86.3 billion in tariff refunds to American businesses. I’m encouraged that our courts are upholding the constitutional limits of the President’s power, and I expect that they will continue to play a critical role in this fight.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Increases Costs

And of course, the most notable policy of President Trump’s that’s driven up costs is his desperation to appease his billionaire friends through tax cuts. The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ slashed billions from programs like Medicaid and SNAP to finance tax cuts for ultra-rich people and corporations who don’t need them.

The consequences of that have been staggering. More than 8 million Americans have already lost their health care and tens of millions more have seen their premiums skyrocket because of this law. This doesn't just hurt those who lost coverage. When more people become uninsured, hospitals face greater financial strain and uncompensated care increases, and those costs get passed on to everyone else through higher premiums and medical bills. In CA50 alone, 28,000 residents are expected to see higher premiums and out-of-pocket caps because of these reckless cuts.

I've supported several efforts to overturn these dangerous cuts because I know that San Diegans already struggling with high costs cannot afford for their health care costs to increase so much. The discharge petitions are supported by virtually every House Democrat, and while we may not be able to get them across the finish line this Congress, I believe these solutions will be a priority for us as we continue to work to lower costs.

President Trump continues to fail on his promises and strain people’s wallets. I will continue working in Congress to make sure the American people are not the ones paying for the President’s poor decisions.

Scott’s Reads

Another reason costs are high: President Trump’s attack on much-needed clean energy projects that would have lowered electricity bills. This time, it was an offshore wind project in Northern California.

President Trump’s Executive Order targeting the childhood vaccine schedule is dangerous and it’s important that parents have all the facts about vaccines to advocate for their kids.

Some good news on clean energy: Escondido adopted the battery energy storage system (BESS) safety guidelines which will keep residents safe while this battery storage project lowers the cost of energy.

Catch up on the first season of 72 and Sunny!

Click here for a comprehensive list of the actions I've taken to push back on the Trump Administration and protect San Diego.

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Thanks, and take care.

Scott H. Peters
Member of Congress

War in Iran Increases Costs

Tariffs Increase Costs

The One Big Beautiful Bill Increases Costs

Scott’s Reads

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