U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.), host a roundtable on how Trump’s policies have driven up energy costs, June 16, 2026. Courtesy photo

U.S. SENATE News: 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) hosted a roundtable to discuss how the Trump administration’s policies, including the war with Iran, have driven up energy costs for families, consumers, communities, and small businesses.

The roundtable comes as President Trump’s war with Iran, which has resulted in the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, has caused gas prices to reach their highest level in four years. The national average for gas is $4.04. On average, American households have paid an additional $450 more in gas prices since the war began.

Heinrich and Kim’s roundtable was joined by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), energy experts, economic experts, a non-profit leader from New Mexico, and an agriculture leader from New Jersey.

A video of the discussion can be found here.

“Since the war in Iran began, gas prices have surged by more than 50 percent, and hardworking Americans are paying the price every time they pull up to the pump,” Heinrich said. “Most Americans are now paying well over $4 a gallon for gas, and since February, this has cost American households and businesses more than $54 billion. Today’s roundtable made clear that rising gasoline and diesel prices are driving up the cost of everything from transportation to packaging, forcing families to make tough choices about how they will afford groceries, make rent, and keep the lights on. I will keep calling attention to the real costs of these rising prices on working families and pushing for solutions that bring down costs and provide meaningful relief.”

“For over 100 days, the Trump administration has waged war in Iran in our name, without our say, and on our dime. As Trump and Republicans try to keep us in the dark about the damage done and what’s to come, I’m working with my Democratic colleagues to talk about the true cost of this war and how we can stand up for working families who have been footing the bill,” Kim said.

“From gas prices to groceries and everything in between, Oregonians are getting clobbered by high costs as a result of Trump’s illegal war and tariffs,” Wyden said. “Trump’s agenda of economic sabotage and suffering will have ripple effects on working families for years to come.”

“American families are struggling to make ends meet under Trump’s economy. Inflation is at its highest levels since the pandemic, gas is more than $4 a gallon at the pump, grocery prices are through the roof, and health care premiums are the highest they’ve ever been,” Padilla said. “Instead of working to ease this burden for Americans—or make sure families don’t suffer from these price hikes in the future—Republicans have kicked Americans off their health insurance, gutted programs millions of families depend on, and continually made performative announcements instead of addressing a crisis of their own making. I’ll continue to stand up for Californians who are being hurt by Trump’s policies.” 

“Now that inflation is surging, purchasing power is taking a real hit, and those inflation-adjusted wages on a year-over-year basis have been falling in the past two months,” said Claudia Sahm, Chief Economist, New Century Advisors. “People’s frustration with affordability is real. It’s not just the vibes.”

“A small town in Oklahoma, single mother, no support, very poor family. That’s how I grew up. Children who grow up in poverty never forget,” said Matt Randolph, Energy Expert, Forbes Contributor, and Host of The American Power Podcast. “When I think about energy policy, I think about people who are paying $1,000 to keep their lights on and who are paying $5 a gallon for gas. We are making it harder for people to achieve the American dream to further enrich those that are already experiencing it 1,000 times over. I believe a strong energy policy is one that is draped in humanity and not profits. That’s why I’m here today.”

“Meals on Wheels is not just a meal delivery service—we are a lifeline for homebound seniors who often have few people they can rely on,” said Shauna M. Frost, CEO of Meals on Wheels New Mexico. “When gas prices increase, it threatens services so many have come to depend on. Rising fuel costs affect nearly every part of our operations. It increases the cost of purchasing food, delivering meals, and retaining volunteers. As demand continues to rise, increasing gas and energy prices threaten our ability to keep pace. Without action, the gap between the need in our community and our ability to meet it will continue to widen. I urge Congress to ensure that older Americans continue to receive that dignity, independence, and connection for years to come.”

“Recent increases in the cost of inputs like fuel and fertilizer threaten the viability of our farms. A stable domestic food supply is central to food security, open space preservation and the strength of our rural economy. Food security is national security,” said Liz Thompson, Executive Director, New Jersey Farm Bureau (NJFB).

“Small Business Majority’s research found that 74% of small business owners say rising fuel and transportation costs have had an impact on their business. But unlike past challenges, such as the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, the problems caused for small business owners by high fuel prices resulted entirely from government policies. Fortunately, these harmful decisions can be reversed overnight—and even though that wouldn’t fix all the damage immediately, it’s a necessary start to restoring a level playing field for small businesses. But lawmakers must do more, because it’s simply not sustainable for entrepreneurs to get by only if they accept an ever-shrinking bottom line or if they’re willing to raise prices on customers who are also stretched thin by high gas prices, inflation and other challenges. If federal policymakers don’t act soon to address broad cost of living challenges, it will be too late for Main Street,” said John Arensmeyer, President & CEO, Small Business Majority (SBM). 

“It’s no secret that Americans are exhausted by rising prices, from gas to groceries to utilities to health care. It’s far more than the rent that’s too high. It’s the cost of everything that makes a secure, fulfilling, middle-class life in America possible,” said Angela Hanks, Chief of Policy Programs at The Century Foundation. “Our research at The Century Foundation shows the extraordinary lengths to which working-class Americans are being squeezed. We did a recent poll that showed nearly a quarter of Americans had skipped a meal in the last year in order to make ends meet, and one in five have delayed or foregone medical care because it was too expensive. The thing about rising energy costs is that it makes everything else more expensive. No one is immune from the President’s campaign to jack up energy prices on working families—he said it himself.”

As Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Heinrich has repeatedly pressed the Trump administration to reverse policies that raise energy costs for working families, including through hearings, oversight letters, roundtables, and direct engagement with Trump administration officials:

• Last month, Heinrich hosted a roundtable with local small business owners, Roadrunner Food Bank, and Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, Corp. (WESST) to discuss how President Trump’s global tariffs and war with Iran are making gas, groceries, and everyday essentials more expensive for New Mexico families and businesses.
• Heinrich also wrote to the CEOs of the six biggest U.S. airlines seeking information on the current economic conditions of the airline industry as President Trump’s war in Iran continues, requesting that the airlines detail their plan to address rising jet fuel costs, and whether companies will cap or reduce executive compensation to help offset rising costs.
• For more information on Heinrich’s actions to hold President Trump accountable for his illegal, costly, and reckless war on Iran, click here.

For more information on Heinrich’s work to lower energy costs for New Mexico families, click here.

For more information on Heinrich’s work to combat President Trump’s tariffs and lower the cost of groceries and everyday essentials, click here.