August 15, 2026

Dear Friends,

Across our nation today, countless families are feeling the effects of a global energy crisis — a crisis caused and subsequently worsened by President Trump’s reckless war with Iran and by record-breaking heat waves around the globe. These crises have stretched our energy infrastructure to the brink, and working Americans are paying the price with higher utility costs and skyrocketing gas prices.

Before Trump started his senseless war with Iran in February, gas prices were averaging under $3 per gallon. Now, the national average is over $4 per gallon. In these past 6 months, Americans here in our region and beyond have paid hundreds of dollars more for gas and other goods, including a combined $41 billion for gasoline at the pump.

With Iran blocking ships from the Strait of Hormuz — where about 20% of the global oil supply was shipped prior to this conflict — there seems to be no end in sight for this economic pain. It’s clear the president completely failed to understand the ramifications of starting this reckless war. But instead of fixing the problem or investing dollars here at home to help struggling families, Republicans are pushing for a budget that would sink billions more taxpayer dollars into Trump’s war.

I’m doing all I can in Washington to force Congress to act to bring real relief to working families and to stop funding this war. That means supporting affordable housing, cutting health care costs, and lowering energy bills. Addressing the latter requires passing common-sense legislation like my Regional Energy Hubs Act. This soon-to-be-introduced legislation would authorize the Department of Energy to set up and maintain regional hubs — like our own Capital Region Clean Energy Hub — across the nation that help residents navigate and access energy efficiency incentives and affordability programs. This week, I held a roundtable discussion with representatives from the Clean Energy Hub, contractors, and beneficiaries of the program to highlight the vital role these hubs play in lowering costs for residents, and to emphasize how our region can benefit from the resources they provide.

One of the major challenges that came with the clean energy initiatives enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was making certain that people knew about the benefits available to them and about how to navigate the complex system of grants, rebates, and tax credits established by the IRA. The hardworking folks at our region’s Clean Energy Hub serve as a trusted local source of information to help people navigate these opportunities, upgrade their homes, and save hundreds on their energy bills.

While we work to expand existing benefits, we also need to continue looking to the future and investing in energy solutions that create jobs, bolster our domestic supply chains, and cut costs for consumers. One clear and proven solution is offshore wind development.

Offshore wind provides real and extensive opportunities to cut energy costs and strengthen our local economies. But that has not stopped Trump from waging his own personal war on wind. Trump’s misinformation-fueled vendetta is doing nothing to support American manufacturing, create jobs, or lower energy prices for families. Since March, the administration has announced multi-billion-dollar corporate buyouts for offshore wind leases, spending nearly $4 billion in taxpayer money to pay companies to walk away from projects that could have produced more than 21 gigawatts of clean, dependable energy — enough to power millions of homes and support more than 50,000 jobs. These attacks are taking good-paying, union jobs off the table and driving electricity bills even higher for everyday Americans.

Even as Trump continues his attacks on offshore wind, there are still significant benefits that come with investment in the industry — something recognized even by Trump’s own Republican Party. These benefits give us an opportunity to push back against this administration’s assault and forge ahead with legislation like my Offshore Energy Modernization Act, which provides a comprehensive blueprint to ensure the long-term viability and success of U.S. offshore wind development and allows our nation to reap the benefits of this powerful economic driver.

The American people deserve so much better from their government than funding endless wars and fueling petty vendettas. Know that I’m continuing to work day in and day out to help deliver an America where you can afford to buy a home, go to the doctor when you need to, take care of your loved ones, and pay your grocery and utility bills without breaking the bank. The need and will is there. Let’s get it done.

As always, thank you for reading.

Your friend,

DID YOU KNOW?

My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:

• SAVE THE DATE FOR MY AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXPO ON AUGUST 25^TH!
• One long-persistent part of America’s affordability crisis has been the rising cost of housing. To address that crisis, Congress this summer advanced a major housing affordability bill — the 21^st Century ROAD to Housing Act — that will take critical steps to ensure hardworking families are able to buy a home and live their American dream.
• As that new legislation comes into effect, I want to make sure you have the resources and information you need to access affordable rent opportunities or take that next step to homeownership.
• That’s why I’m bringing together local housing organizations to host an Affordable Housing Expo on Tuesday evening, August 25^th.
  • Exact timing, location, and instructions on how to register will be announced shortly.
  • You can stay updated on this event by following my social media accounts on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and Bluesky at @RepPaulTonko.
• I look forward to seeing you there!