Pallone Engages Thousands of Constituents During Teletown Hall as Trump’s Iran War and Rising Costs Rattle New Jersey Residents

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) connected with more than 10,400 constituents during a teletown hall Thursday night, hearing directly from New Jersey residents who are frustrated by rising costs and deepening economic instability caused by President Trump's unauthorized war with Iran. Pallone opened the call by outlining how households are already being crushed by higher grocery, gas, health care, and utility bills, and said Trump's military escalation and broader economic agenda are making those pressures worse.

"People in New Jersey are watching Trump drag America deeper into international conflicts while making life more expensive here at home, and they are right to be angry about it," said Pallone. "You cannot claim to fight for working people while driving up costs with reckless tariffs, cutting programs that help people afford health care, and spending billions on a war without authorization from Congress. Tonight's town hall was about hearing directly from the people I represent and making clear that their voices will not be drowned out by chaos in Washington. I'm going to keep fighting to lower utility and health care bills, protect health care access, and hold the Trump administration accountable for the damage it is doing to our Democracy."

During the hour-long forum, Pallone discussed the financial strain facing households across the Sixth District and pointed to a range of Republicans policies he said are making matters worse, from Trump's attacks on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to soaring electricity prices. He also highlighted his recent push for federal regulators to prevent another round of major utility hikes in New Jersey after residential electricity prices in the state climbed by roughly 18 percent over the past year.

Pallone said the concerns he heard tonight all point back to the same problem: the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans pursuing an agenda that is driving up costs, undermining basic rights, and leaving working people to pay the price for blatant billionaire giveaways.

Pallone encouraged constituents to stay in touch with his office and continue speaking out as Congress debates issues that will directly them and their loved ones.

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