Dear [salutation],
On Tuesday, President Trump gave his second State of the Union address, and for the first time since I came to Congress in 2013, I did not attend the address. President Trump has shown complete disdain for Congress, the laws of our land, the Constitution, and the office of the Presidency. This cannot be the norm, and I chose not to be a prop in his political rally. As I predicted, his speech was full of lies and division.
During the campaign, President Trump promised to create a “Golden Age” for America. Yet over the last 13 months, his policies and self-serving ego have broken that promise. Below, I’ve put together a scorecard showing how President Trump and Congressional Republicans are handling the affordability crisis Americans are feeling, and what I’m doing about it.
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Promise: He would enact a “great health care plan.”
Reality: The “Big Beautiful Bill” (HR1) cut Medicaid by $1 trillion to fund tax cuts for people and corporations who don’t need them and an increase in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to target American citizens and law-abiding, peaceful immigrants. Then, President Trump and Congressional Republicans refused to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits that Americans relied on to afford health insurance. That led to 15 million Americans losing health coverage and 22 million more paying double or triple for health insurance. Nearly 150,000 San Diegans relied on the ACA premium tax credits to afford coverage, and more than 125,000 are already seeing their health care costs surge, including 28,000 people in CA-50 alone.
What I’m doing: I voted against HR1 last year and voted to extend ACA tax credits in January. I’ll continue to speak out about the importance of affordable health coverage and uplift the important voices of healthcare providers and members of our community as we fight to restore critical funding. |
Promise: He would cut your energy bills in half in the first year.
Reality: The cost of electricity rose by more than 6 percent in 2025, more than double the rate of inflation. President Trump’s attacks on clean energy are pausing, cancelling, or obstructing the projects we need to bring more power online and lower costs. And House Republicans are only making it worse. This week, the House Rules Committee passed two bills related to efficiency standards for home appliances. The Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act would overhaul the efficiency standards set by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). The Homeowner Energy Freedom Act would eliminate three provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that help people buy electric and energy efficient appliances, clean vehicles, and rooftop solar. Less energy efficient appliances means higher energy costs for everyone.
What I’m doing: I’m leading the fight to ensure we tackle energy challenges head-on, without unnecessary delays, and ensuring we’re meeting the moment with urgency and responsibility. I also voted against these two bills that would lead to even higher energy bills our communities just can’t afford. |
Promise: He would lower costs on day one.
Reality: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (above), inflation has only gone up since President Trump’s “Liberation Day” in April. California families paid $2,355 more for everyday items last year due to inflation. The EPA’s recent repeal of the endangerment finding, the legal underpinning for all greenhouse gas regulations in the US, will raise gas prices. Grocery prices went up at the fastest rate since 2022. And the U.S. added only 181,000 jobs in 2025, compared to more than 1.4 million in 2024.
What I’m doing: I continue to call on President Trump to reverse his disastrous, illegal tariffs which are keeping the price of food, clothing, electronics, and other everyday items high. I co-led the New Democrat Coalition’s new Affordability Agenda, a roadmap for Congress to address the cost of health care, housing, energy, childcare and household essentials. And I’ve introduced legislation that would create jobs in the housing, energy, and other fields. |
Another listen: the first episode of my new podcast, 72 & Sunny! The inaugural episode features Supervisor Paloma Aguirre and I talking about cross-border sewage pollution. NPR fact checked many of President Trump’s claims on foreign policy, the economy, immigration, and more from the State of the Union. The Wall Street Journal details how even the oil and gas industry is calling for President Trump to end his assault on wind projects.
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Please forward this email or encourage others to sign up to receive these updates here. And if there’s an issue or question you’d like me to address in an upcoming newsletter, send me a note here. Thanks, and take care. |
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Scott H. Peters
Member of Congress
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