Republican lawmakers are rushing to notch legislative wins on affordability this summer, as rising consumer costs become a growing political liability ahead of November's midterm elections. The party's signature achievement—President Trump's tax and spending cut package, the so-called “big, beautiful bill”—has done little to curb inflation, which has been exacerbated by the president's global tariffs and the ongoing military confrontation with Iran.
With that bill nearing its one-year anniversary, GOP leaders are pushing a pair of high-profile proposals: a long-stalled measure to boost housing supply and a new effort to suspend the federal gas tax. The moves reflect a tacit acknowledgment that Republicans need more than last year's victory to sell to voters, especially after a stretch marked by government shutdowns and economic anxiety beyond Washington.
President Trump told CBS News on Monday he supports a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax, saying, “When the price of gas goes down, we'll let it phase back in.” Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) quickly announced plans to introduce legislation to implement the pause. “People's gas prices are very high, energy prices are high, everything's high,” Hawley told Politico's E&E News. “We, Congress, need to do everything we can to get that down.” Luna posted on X that “American families need this relief on gas prices.”
According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular gas hit $4.52 on Monday, up from $3.14 a year ago. As prices have climbed during Trump's two-month war with Iran, his approval rating has slipped, alarming Republican candidates. An Economist/YouGov poll from early May found only 38 percent of registered voters approve of Trump's handling of the economy, and 69 percent disapprove of his actions on rising prices. The surge in jet fuel costs is also expected to drive up airfare, adding to voter frustration.
Housing Bill Stalls Amid Conservative Pushback
House Republicans are also trying to revive a Senate-passed housing bill that has languished due to opposition from hardline conservatives. The legislation—described as the most sweeping housing measure in decades—would provide incentives for new home construction, convert abandoned buildings into housing, and authorize grants to modernize existing homes. But members of the House Freedom Caucus and privacy-minded conservatives object to provisions that temporarily ban central bank digital currency (CBDC) until 2030 and require large institutional investors in build-to-rent single-family homes to sell within seven years. They are pushing for a permanent CBDC ban.
House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill (R-Ark.) and ranking member Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) are negotiating changes, according to Punchbowl News. These internal GOP fights are expected to dominate the House this summer, complicating efforts to deliver legislative wins.
Farm Bill, Reconciliation Package on Deck
The Senate is expected to take up the House-passed farm bill, which reauthorizes spending for food and agricultural programs. The legislation, typically renewed every five years, has not been enacted since 2018. It contains provisions that could benefit agriculture-heavy districts hard-hit by Trump's tariffs and high fertilizer prices from the Strait of Hormuz closure. However, the House bill sparked controversy over language that would limit lawsuits against pesticide makers and block local pesticide regulations. Luna, who led an amendment to strip those provisions, has warned the Senate against reinserting them, setting up a potential inter-chamber battle.
Republicans are also eyeing a third reconciliation package that would include defense spending, fraud crackdowns, and other priorities. Reconciliation allows the GOP to bypass a Senate filibuster if the legislation meets budget requirements. House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) told reporters last month, “We have an election coming up...Our base needs the motivation right now. What's needed is to follow through on the many reforms that we said we would execute on.”
With midterm campaigns intensifying, Republicans are betting that a flurry of legislative action on everyday costs can counter the drag from Trump's unpopular economic policies and the Iran conflict. But internal divisions and the clock may test whether the party can turn talk into tangible wins for voters.
