Dear Friend,
It’s been a busy couple of weeks in Washington. From advancing the FY27 Homeland Security Appropriations bill out of subcommittee to securing funding for projects across CD-2 and sounding the alarm on California policies that continue to drive up costs for Nevadans, there’s plenty to cover.
As always, representing our Original Nevada in Congress remains the honor of my lifetime. As I approach the finish line of my time in public service, rest assured I’m not slowing down. There’s still work to do, and I intend to go out sprinting.
Without further ado, let’s get into the latest.
FY27 HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS BILL ADVANCES TO FULL COMMITTEE
Chairing the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations has undoubtedly come with its share of challenges over the past fiscal year. While the finger pointing may continue elsewhere, our focus has always been on finding practical solutions to the challenges before us.
The bill we advanced to the full committee reflects that commitment through commonsense funding decisions that maintain strong border security, protect critical infrastructure and networks from persistent cyber threats, ensure communities have the resources they need when disasters strike, and build on our investments to the Coast Guard, whose presence and mission help keep our nation and our allies safe.
On our road to restoring regular order this time around, I hope we've learned that when this process is disrupted, it is the people we serve who bear the consequences.
Following the markup of the Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations bill, the full committee will take up my Homeland Security bill. The markup is expected to begin later today and continue into Wednesday. You can watch it live on the Appropriations Committee’s YouTube channel here.
A summary of the bill is available here.
Bill text is available here.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Each year through the appropriations process, Members of Congress can submit Community Project Funding requests for their districts. Securing every priority in a single fiscal year is uncommon, which is why I’m especially pleased to announce that all 20 projects submitted by my office were approved, bringing more than $29 million to CD-2.
Beyond FY27 appropriations funding, I also worked directly with leaders in Washington to secure an additional $20 million for the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Terminal Modernization Project and $10 million for the Washoe County RTC to replace aging buses that have reached the end of their service life.
Read my full press release here to learn more about the projects receiving funding and what they mean for our communities.
STUCK RIDING SHOTGUN ON CALIFORNIA’S ROAD TO DISASTER
Pressure at the pump is top of mind across the country amid Iran’s ongoing weaponization of the Strait of Hormuz. But even if that conflict were resolved tomorrow, Nevada would still face another engine of high prices: being handcuffed to California’s self-inflicted fuel crisis.
California’s climate crackdown is now pushing another major refinery, Valero’s Benicia facility, to shut its doors after agreeing to pay a $3.25 million penalty over alleged air quality violations. That comes on the heels of another major Los Angeles refinery, Phillips 66, announcing plans last year to close up shop.
Combined, those shutdowns are expected to cut the state’s gasoline refining capacity by roughly 17%. Lost refinery capacity cannot easily be replaced due to the West’s limited pipeline connectivity, which only exacerbates the situation.
Chevron is now threatening to leave the state, citing excessive overregulation that, rather than advancing clean energy, has deepened California’s reliance on imported fuel. When you factor in that these policies increasingly incentivize oil production abroad in countries with far lower environmental standards, the supposed climate benefits begin to defeat their own purpose.
Additionally, roughly 30% of the foreign crude oil California imports comes from the Middle East, a region directly impacted by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Energy Marketers of America, crude oil often accounts for as much as 70% of the price consumers pay at the pump. California’s restrictions on domestic production have therefore left the state, and Nevada by extension, increasingly dependent on foreign oil markets and more vulnerable to higher consumer prices.
Governor Newsom, and the Californians who haven’t already packed up and moved to neighboring states, may not feel the squeeze quite the same way thanks to electric vehicles. But out in rural Nevada, people don’t exactly have the luxury of hopping on a subway or plugging in at local charging stations.
According to Stillwater Associates, California supplies “88% of the Nevada gasoline market (including 100% of the Reno, NV market).” And while plenty of Californians are leaving the Golden State, many are landing right here in Nevada. That means demand is growing while supply capacity is shrinking, and you don’t need to be an economics wizard to see where this is headed.
Being entirely dependent on a state where Nevadans have no influence over the policies is killing us at the pump. That vulnerability was exposed during the devastating wildfires in California, and we are experiencing those disruptions once again.
I appreciate Governor Lombardo taking action by creating Nevada’s Fuel Resiliency Committee. This needs to be a priority now because while the problem is immediate, the solutions are not. Building infrastructure, expanding pipeline capacity, and securing alternative refinery access all require serious planning and time.
One option currently being evaluated is expanding HF Sinclair’s footprint in both southern and northern Nevada. According to last year’s announcement, “The first phase would increase capacity by a projected 35,000 barrels per day to move supply from our Rockies production into Nevada and is targeted to be online in 2028.”
While this is a step in the right direction and the wheels are finally beginning to turn, we need to put the pedal to the metal. We need to aggressively pursue every viable short-term and long-term solution because Nevadans shouldn’t be forced to pay the price for California’s half-baked energy policies.
It’s been a busy couple of weeks in Washington. From advancing the FY27 Homeland Security Appropriations bill out of subcommittee to securing funding for projects across CD-2 and sounding the alarm on California policies that continue to drive up costs for Nevadans, there’s plenty to cover.
As always, representing our Original Nevada in Congress remains the honor of my lifetime. As I approach the finish line of my time in public service, rest assured I’m not slowing down. There’s still work to do, and I intend to go out sprinting.
Without further ado, let’s get into the latest.
FY27 HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS BILL ADVANCES TO FULL COMMITTEE
Chairing the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations has undoubtedly come with its share of challenges over the past fiscal year. While the finger pointing may continue elsewhere, our focus has always been on finding practical solutions to the challenges before us.
The bill we advanced to the full committee reflects that commitment through commonsense funding decisions that maintain strong border security, protect critical infrastructure and networks from persistent cyber threats, ensure communities have the resources they need when disasters strike, and build on our investments to the Coast Guard, whose presence and mission help keep our nation and our allies safe.
On our road to restoring regular order this time around, I hope we've learned that when this process is disrupted, it is the people we serve who bear the consequences.
Following the markup of the Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations bill, the full committee will take up my Homeland Security bill. The markup is expected to begin later today and continue into Wednesday. You can watch it live on the Appropriations Committee’s YouTube channel here.
A summary of the bill is available here.
Bill text is available here.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Each year through the appropriations process, Members of Congress can submit Community Project Funding requests for their districts. Securing every priority in a single fiscal year is uncommon, which is why I’m especially pleased to announce that all 20 projects submitted by my office were approved, bringing more than $29 million to CD-2.
Beyond FY27 appropriations funding, I also worked directly with leaders in Washington to secure an additional $20 million for the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Terminal Modernization Project and $10 million for the Washoe County RTC to replace aging buses that have reached the end of their service life.
Read my full press release here to learn more about the projects receiving funding and what they mean for our communities.
STUCK RIDING SHOTGUN ON CALIFORNIA’S ROAD TO DISASTER
Pressure at the pump is top of mind across the country amid Iran’s ongoing weaponization of the Strait of Hormuz. But even if that conflict were resolved tomorrow, Nevada would still face another engine of high prices: being handcuffed to California’s self-inflicted fuel crisis.
California’s climate crackdown is now pushing another major refinery, Valero’s Benicia facility, to shut its doors after agreeing to pay a $3.25 million penalty over alleged air quality violations. That comes on the heels of another major Los Angeles refinery, Phillips 66, announcing plans last year to close up shop.
Combined, those shutdowns are expected to cut the state’s gasoline refining capacity by roughly 17%. Lost refinery capacity cannot easily be replaced due to the West’s limited pipeline connectivity, which only exacerbates the situation.
Chevron is now threatening to leave the state, citing excessive overregulation that, rather than advancing clean energy, has deepened California’s reliance on imported fuel. When you factor in that these policies increasingly incentivize oil production abroad in countries with far lower environmental standards, the supposed climate benefits begin to defeat their own purpose.
Additionally, roughly 30% of the foreign crude oil California imports comes from the Middle East, a region directly impacted by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Energy Marketers of America, crude oil often accounts for as much as 70% of the price consumers pay at the pump. California’s restrictions on domestic production have therefore left the state, and Nevada by extension, increasingly dependent on foreign oil markets and more vulnerable to higher consumer prices.
Governor Newsom, and the Californians who haven’t already packed up and moved to neighboring states, may not feel the squeeze quite the same way thanks to electric vehicles. But out in rural Nevada, people don’t exactly have the luxury of hopping on a subway or plugging in at local charging stations.
According to Stillwater Associates, California supplies “88% of the Nevada gasoline market (including 100% of the Reno, NV market).” And while plenty of Californians are leaving the Golden State, many are landing right here in Nevada. That means demand is growing while supply capacity is shrinking, and you don’t need to be an economics wizard to see where this is headed.
Being entirely dependent on a state where Nevadans have no influence over the policies is killing us at the pump. That vulnerability was exposed during the devastating wildfires in California, and we are experiencing those disruptions once again.
I appreciate Governor Lombardo taking action by creating Nevada’s Fuel Resiliency Committee. This needs to be a priority now because while the problem is immediate, the solutions are not. Building infrastructure, expanding pipeline capacity, and securing alternative refinery access all require serious planning and time.
One option currently being evaluated is expanding HF Sinclair’s footprint in both southern and northern Nevada. According to last year’s announcement, “The first phase would increase capacity by a projected 35,000 barrels per day to move supply from our Rockies production into Nevada and is targeted to be online in 2028.”
While this is a step in the right direction and the wheels are finally beginning to turn, we need to put the pedal to the metal. We need to aggressively pursue every viable short-term and long-term solution because Nevadans shouldn’t be forced to pay the price for California’s half-baked energy policies.
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