Greg Casar

NEWS: Casar, Riley Introduce Bill to Crack Down on Utilities Overcharging Consumers

Position: The representatives support legislation that would regulate for-profit utility companies by prohibiting them from passing certain costs (lobbying, private jet expenses, political contributions) to consumers and establishing federal standards for reasonable profit margins to reduce utility rates.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) and Rep. Josh Riley (D-NY) introduced a new bill to crack down on utilities overcharging consumers. The Lowering Utility Bills Act reins in the runaway profits of for profit utilities, which are raising utility prices across the country by demanding exorbitant profits and forcing consumers to pay for outrageous expenses like private jet rides, lobbying, and contributions to politicians. The bill bars transmission providers and for profit utilities from requiring consumers to pay for private jet rides, lobbying, and contributions to politicians, and it sets a national standard for a reasonable ‘Return on Equity,’ to clamp down on for profit utilities charging consumers unreasonable rates. The bill would save families $500 a year, according to experts from the American Economic Liberties Project. The bill comes as millions of Americans are struggling to pay surging utility prices, in part because for-profit Investor Owned Utilities are artificially inflating prices. The cost of electricity has increased at more than twice the rate of inflation in recent years. Utility prices went up for 56 million Americans in 2025, and nearly one-quarter of Americans were unable to pay their utility bills in recent years. Rates at for-profit ‘Investor Owned Utilities’ are driving much of the increase. The Lowering Utility Bills Act would provide immediate relief to working families by preventing utility companies from artificially inflating their own profits. “Your utility bill should not be higher so that a utility company CEO can rent a private jet or make astronomical profits,” said Rep Casar. “Utility companies are supposed to abide by a basic deal: in exchange for being the only provider in an area, they charge people a fair rate. Utility companies across the country are breaking that deal, and our bill cracks down on their obscene profits to save working families money.” “Utility executives shouldn’t be flying around on private jets while Upstate families are sitting at the kitchen table making impossible choices between paying their electric bill and buying groceries," said Rep. Riley. "Right now, working people are footing the bill for outrageous corporate profits just to keep the lights on. That’s wrong. Our bill will crack down on these excessive rates, rein in corporate greed, and deliver real relief for families.” The bill: Cracks down on for-profit utilities making consumers pay for wasteful spending. Bans corrupt rate recovery pass through, such as lobbying, private planes for board of directors or officers, or contributions to political candidates, for transmission providers and for profit utilities; Cracks down on for-profit utilities demanding profit margins (returns on equity) far higher than the market would set. Directs FERC to calculate a reasonable rate of return for utility investments, taking into account the reduced risk of the industry. Directs FERC to use this new rate when determining rates. Requires for-profit utilities to use this rate when presenting rate proposals to the state regulatory authority... Cracks down on the building of unnecessary projects that raise costs. Requires the prioritization of cost saving investments ahead of capital investments for transmission providers and covered utilities. The bill is co-sponsored by: Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Valerie Foushee, Jesús “Chuy” García, Dan Goldman, Maggie Goodlander, Al Green, Adelita S Grijalva, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Hank Johnson, John Mannion, April McClain Delaney, Frank Mrvan, Pat Ryan, Lateefah Simon, Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar, Rashida Tlaib, and Bonnie Watson Coleman. “For too long, greedy utility companies have gamed the system to jack up prices on hardworking Americans while raking in record-breaking profits. Central Hudson executives are giving themselves millions in kickbacks, funded by price hikes on families struggling to keep the lights on. It’s completely unacceptable and a total abuse of their power,” said Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY). “What kind of system lets a company like Central Hudson set their own profits at our expense? A fundamentally broken one. It’s time to hold these companies accountable and put the power back where it belongs: with the people.” “As the climate crisis continues to grow in Arizona and across the country, keeping a home cool is a matter of life and death,” said Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ). “Yet instead of providing relief, utility companies continue to profit by passing junk charges onto customers. I’m proud to introduce this legislation alongside my colleagues to put an end to this abuse and ban unnecessary costs from people's bills,” “It is fundamentally wrong to force hardworking Americans to subsidize private jets, political lobbying, and backroom contributions every time they pay their monthly electric bill," said Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.). "The Lowering Utility Bills Act puts an end to these ‘investor-owned’ excesses by ensuring that rates reflect the actual cost of service, not the desire for runaway profits. This bill is a necessary step to stop the artificial inflation of energy costs and put $500 back into the pockets of families who need it most.” The bill is endorsed by: American Economic Liberties Project (AELP), Center for Biological Diversity, Congressional Lowering Utility Bills Caucus, Indivisible, League of Conservation Voters, Public Citizen, Inc., Sierra Club. “While utility monopolies collect billions in profit from ratepayers and pay their CEOs millions, American families struggle to keep the lights on,” said Marissa P. Gillett, Senior Fellow at the American Economic Liberties Project and former Chairman of Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. “The Lowering Utility Bills Act would save consumers money by addressing bloated rates of return and stop utilities from passing costs for private jets and political activity on to consumers. We applaud Rep. Casar, Rep. Riley, and the entire Lowering Utility Bills Caucus for their leadership to stop this corporate profiteering." "Energy costs are out of control and struggling consumers want to hold accountable those causing the problems,” said Matthew Davis, League of Conservation Voters’ Vice President of Federal Policy. “Thank you to Reps. Casar and Riley for fighting to bring more accountability to the Trump administration, extreme Republican leadership, and greedy fossil fuel CEOs, for lowering energy bills for families across the country, and for working to increase access to clean energy." A section by section guide to the bill is available here. ### Issues:Economy

NEWS: Casar, Gallego Demand Answers From JetBlue About Surveillance Pricing

Position: Representatives Casar and Gallego are demanding transparency from JetBlue regarding its use of customer data and artificial intelligence in pricing decisions, expressing concern that surveillance-based pricing may discriminate against consumers based on personal circumstances.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35) and Sen. Ruben Gallego (AZ) sent a letter to JetBlue Airlines requesting information about JetBlue’s potential use of customer data and artificial intelligence to set prices for consumers. On Monday, JetBlue’s X account suggested a customer try clearing their “cache and cookies or booking with an incognito window” after the customer complained about a price increase, a clear suggestion that the company is using surveillance pricing. While JetBlue subsequently claimed that airfares are not “determined” by cached data or personal information, Casar and Gallego are demanding answers about the company's definition of personal data; whether JetBlue is working with external vendors to set prices using personal data; and whether personal data is used in any capacity to inform prices. Casar and Gallego write they are “especially concerned that customers could be charged different prices for the same flight based on their need for travel, such as attending a funeral.” A copy of the letter, including the seven questions posed to CEO Joanna Geraghty, is available here. Both Casar and Gallego have introduced bills to crack down on surveillance pricing. ###

NEWS: Casar Statement on Tesla Gigafactory Subsides

Position: Congressman Casar supports Travis County's decision to withhold subsidies from Tesla due to the company's failure to meet contractual obligations and protect worker safety. He argues that taxpayers should not fund subsidies for a company with a record of endangering workers.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Following news that Travis county will withhold subsidies from Tesla because of failure to meet its contractual obligations and protect workers, Congressman Greg Casar issued the following statement: “Tesla has a track record of illegally endangering workers, and I am glad to see Travis County saving taxpayer money by withholding some of these unnecessary subsidies. Travis County taxpayers should not be paying to put workers at risk, and Elon Musk doesn’t need our money in the first place. Given the terrible death of Victor Gomez Sr., Travis County should withhold future subsidies.” Casar has been a consistent advocate for safety of workers at the Gigafactory. Casar’s first act as a member of Congress was to demand an investigation into the death of Antelmo Ramirez. Last year, he demanded and secured the release of the investigation into the death of Mr. Gomez Sr.. The subsidies reviewed this week cover the period in which Mr. Ramriez died at the factory. In future, Travis County officials will be asked to vote on subsidies for the period in which Mr. Gomez Sr. died. ###

NEWS: Casar, Sanders Introduce 'Home Team Act' to Prevent Owners from Moving Teams Without Giving Locals Chance to Buy

WASHINGTON – Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Thursday introduced the Home Team Act, which would require owners of professional sports teams to give local communities the chance to buy teams before relocating them. The bill would protect fans from losing teams and protect taxpayers from being extorted for huge subsidies by the threat of relocation. It: Requires sports franchise owners to provide notice a year before moving the team to a new community, defined by crossing state lines or moving to a new Metropolitan Statistical Area; During that year, it gives communities the chance to purchase the team at a fair price, including through the sort of successful community ownership model used by the Green Bay Packers. Teams could also be purchased by a government entity, a nonprofit or public partnership, or a private person, group, or company; Enforces a penalty for franchise owners who do not comply and provides a right of action for state and local governments. The bill would not require anyone to purchase a team and it would not prevent teams from moving if there is not a buyer able to meet a fair and reasonable price, as assessed by a team of appraisers. The bill is co-sponsored by: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Reps. Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). Team relocation has plagued communities across America for decades, from the Brooklyn Dodgers moving in 1958 to recent moves such as the Oakland Athletics departing for Las Vegas. In other instances, the threat of relocation forces cities or states to offer billions of dollars in subsidies to teams already worth billions of dollars. Currently, the Chicago Bears are threatening to leave the city after more than 100 years in response to the state of Indiana offering massive subsidies. The bill would prevent the Bears from being moved across state lines without being offered for sale. “Sports in America should be about more than just making billionaire owners even richer,” Casar said. “Far too many Americans know the pain of losing a team, and far too many communities have had to fork over billions in subsidies just to keep an already profitable team home. Our bill is about creating a level playing field so leagues work for fans and taxpayers, not just owners.” “The American people are sick and tired of billionaires threatening to move the sports teams they own to different states unless they get hundreds of millions in corporate welfare to build new stadiums,” Sanders said. “In my view, professional sports teams should be owned and controlled by the fans who love them, not by the multibillionaire oligarchs who are getting even richer by charging outrageous prices and getting taxpayers to pick up their extravagant costs. You shouldn’t have to be wealthy to take your family to a football game. You shouldn’t have to fear that a multibillionaire will move your favorite team to a different city if taxpayers refuse to subsidize it. The Home Team Act is a very modest piece of legislation that begins to address this problem. I am proud to support it.” "For decades, Oakland residents lovingly and passionately cheered on the Athletics, Raiders, and Warriors -- win or lose. Sports are in the blood of our city and are a key part of our cultural identity, which is why I'm proud to support the Home Team Act to ensure that community-owned sports teams cannot be relocated without community input and the opportunity to keep their home team local," said Simon. "Thank you to Representative Casar and Senator Sanders for their leadership on this legislation that empowers local communities like Oakland and gives fans a say in what happens to their hometown teams." “Sports is more than just business. All across Pennsylvania, we love our teams and being a fan is a part of our way of life,” said Deluzio. “The community and fans that root for the teams they love—and often put public money into the stadiums they play in—should always have a chance to buy the team before sports team owners sell it off to the highest bidder. I’m proud to add my name to the Home Team Act led by Congressman Casar and Senator Sanders.” The bill is endorsed by: Americans for Tax Fairness, American Economic Liberties Project, Good Jobs First, Groundwork Collaborative, Sports Fan Coalition, and ThruSports. "For decades, billionaire team owners have held communities hostage, forcing taxpayers to subsidize stadiums or threatening relocation," said David Kass, ATF's executive director. "We proudly endorse The Home Team Act, which would end this extortion by requiring leagues to allow community ownership options at fair prices and extended relocation notice periods. Our tax dollars should be spent investing in our communities and improving public services—not subsidizing billionaires threatening to rip the heart out of our communities." "For too long, billionaire team owners have held cities hostage, demanding massive public subsidies or threatening to skip town, leaving fans and taxpayers on the hook,” said Brian Hess, Sports Fan Coalition executive director. “The HOME Team Act flips the script. By giving communities the first right to keep their teams, demanding transparency before relocations, and banning anti-public ownership rules, this bill is a game-changer. It arms cities and fans with real tools to protect their teams and their local investments from exploitative power plays. It’s a bold, innovative step that puts fans in control of their fandom." "For decades, rich team owners have been able to hold cities hostage, demanding public subsidies or threatening to leave. This bill flips that dynamic. If a team is going to be sold, the people who actually built its value, the community, the fans, the local economy, should have a real chance to keep it," said Pat Garofalo, Director of State and Local Policy at the American Economic Liberties Project. "This bill should be part of any agenda that puts individuals first, not corporations, and recognizes that teams are civic assets, not just private playthings." A recording of Casar and Sanders’ press conference announcing the bill is available here. Text of the bill is available here. ### Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 119th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Issues:CorporationsEconomy

NEWS: House Oversight Democrats Demand Investigation into Death of Ruben Ray Martinez

Position: Representatives Garcia and Casar are demanding an independent investigation into the death of a U.S. citizen shot by ICE agents, citing concerns about DHS concealment of facts and a pattern of misleading statements about lethal force incidents.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, Congressman Robert Garcia and Congressman Greg Casar demanded an independent investigation into the death of Ruben Ray Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. Citizen shot and killed by ICE agents in South Padre Island, Texas. In a letter to the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Garcia and Casar call for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Martinez’s death and into “any subsequent action taken by HSI and other DHS officials to conceal the facts and circumstances” around it. Martinez was shot by an HSI agent on March 15, 2025, one of 23 people shot by DHS personnel over the last 14 months. For nearly a year, DHS and the Texas Department of Public Safety attempted to conceal ICE’s involvement in the shooting and lied about the circumstances, falsely claiming that Martinez intentionally struck an agent with his vehicle. The claim was later contradicted by video evidence, released only after demands by Members of Congress. “Mr. Martinez’s death is a tragedy that should never have happened,” Garcia and Casar write. “DHS’s repeated lies and omissions about the shooting of Mr. Martinez reflect a troubling pattern in which official statements about the use of lethal force are later challenged by video footage, witness testimony, or subsequent investigations.” Garcia is the Ranking Member and Casar a member of the House Oversight Committee, which is the principal oversight committee of the House of Representatives. They request a briefing no later than April 6th. ### Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 119th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Issues:Immigrant Rights

NEWS: Casar Leads Members of Congress Demanding Return of Any Lopez Belloza

Position: Congressman Casar and 80 members of Congress are calling on the Trump administration to allow Any Lucía Lopez Belloza, a student deported in violation of a court order, to return to the United States and pursue available legal remedies. The members express concern about a pattern of ICE deportations based on acknowledged mistakes and in violation of court orders.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA) led 80 members of Congress demanding that Any Lucía Lopez Belloza be allowed to return to the United States after the Trump administration admitted her deportation was a “mistake.” Lopez Belloza, a student at Babson College, was detained and deported in violation of a court order while traveling home to Austin to visit her family for Thanksgiving. According to the Trump administration, she was deported despite a judge’s orders because an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer failed to inform officials in Texas of the judge’s orders. The Trump Administration acknowledged their “mistake” in court but has not allowed her to return. “As a result of your administration’s ‘mistake,’ Ms. Lopez Belloza, who has no criminal history, was handcuffed and forced to sleep on the floor in a detention center before being deported to Honduras in shackles,” the members of Congress write. “We appreciate your acknowledgment of your error and ask that you remedy the harm you have caused this young woman and her family by allowing her to return to the United States to pursue the legal options available to her.” The members of Congress also raise concerns that Lopez Belloza being deported despite a court order is no isolated incident. “We are concerned that this incident is the latest in a pattern of DHS deporting people based on what it admits are mistakes and in violation of court orders — and then failing to promptly rectify those mistakes, despite the life-threatening or life-altering stakes of such deportations. The letter, addressed to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons, can be found here. It is signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (MA) and Edward J. Markey (MA). It is also signed by U.S. Representatives Amo, Gabe (RI-01); Ansari, Yassamin (AZ-03); Auchincloss, Jake (MA-04); Balint, Becca (VT); Barragán, Nanette (CA-44); Brown, Shontel (OH-11); Carbajal, Salud (CA-24); Carson, André (IN-07); Castro, Joaquin (TX-20); Chu, Judy (CA-28); Cisneros, Gilbert (CA-31); Clarke, Yvette (NY-09); Crockett, Jasmine (TX-30); DeGette, Diana (CO-01); DeSaulnier, Mark (CA-10); Dexter, Maxine (OR-03); Doggett, Lloyd (TX-37); Escobar, Veronica (TX-16); Espaillat, Adriano (NY-13); Fletcher, Lizzie (TX-07); Frost, Maxwell (FL-10); Garamendi, John (CA-08); García, Jesús “Chuy” (IL-04); Garcia, Robert (CA-42); Garcia, Sylvia (TX-29); Goldman, Daniel (NY-10); Gomez, Jimmy (CA-34); Gonzalez, Vicente (TX-34); Grijalva, Adelita (AZ-07); Hayes, Jahana (CT-05); Horsford, Steven (NV-04); Hoyle, Val (OR-04); Jackson, Jonathan (IL-01); Jayapal, Pramila (WA-07); Johnson, Henry (GA-04); Johnson, Julie (TX-32); Kamlager-Dove, Sydney (CA-37); Keating, William (MA-09); Khanna, Ro (CA-17); Lee, Summer (PA-12); Lieu, Ted (CA-36); Lynch, Stephen (MA-08); McBride, Sarah (DE); McGovern, James (MA-02); McIver, LaMonica (NJ-10); Menendez, Robert (NJ-08); Min, Dave (CA-47); Moore, Gwen (WI-04); Moulton, Seth (MA-06); Neal, Richard (MA-01); Norton, Eleanor (DC); Pocan, Mark (WI-02); Pou, Nellie (NJ-09); Pressley, Ayanna (MA-07); Ramirez, Delia (IL-03); Randall, Emily (WA-06); Rivas, Luz (CA-29); Ruiz, Raul (CA-25); Salinas, Andrea (OR-06); Sánchez, Linda (CA-38); Scanlon, Mary Gay (PA-05); Schakowsky, Janice (IL-09); Simon, Lateefah (CA-12); Smith, Adam (WA-09); Stansbury, Melanie (NM-01); Suozzi, Thomas (NY-03); Thanedar, Shri (MI-13); Tlaib, Rashida (MI-12); Tokuda, Jill (HI-02); Tonko, Paul (NY-20); Torres, Ritchie (NY-15); Trahan, Lori (MA-03); Vargas, Juan (CA-52); Vasquez, Gabe (NM-02); Veasey, Marc (TX-33); Velázquez, Nydia (NY-07); and Watson Coleman, Bonnie (NJ-12). ### Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 119th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Issues:Immigrant Rights