SE Kansas City News

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who has been serving in the U.S. Congress representing Missouri’s 5th district since 2005, shared his views on energy costs and tariffs through a series of tweets on May 6, 2025. His comments reflect concerns over recent governmental actions impacting American families.

In a tweet posted at 18:52 UTC, Rep. Cleaver emphasized his stance against rising energy costs attributed to presidential policies. He stated, "As I said with @RepChrisPappas and dozens of others @HouseDemocrats last month: we won’t sit back and watch the president raise energy costs on American families." He further pledged ongoing efforts to protect the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Cleaver reiterated the importance of LIHEAP in another tweet at the same time, underscoring its role in aiding low-income families with energy expenses. He expressed disappointment over attempts to defund the program, affirming that "While it’s deeply disappointing the president would work to defund this program, @HouseDemocrats will fight to protect it for hardworking families."

Later that day at 20:06 UTC, Cleaver addressed issues related to housing costs exacerbated by tariffs under President Trump's administration. Citing builders' reports on increased material prices due to tariffs, he remarked that “Sixty percent of builders said their suppliers have already increased or announced increases on materials prices because of tariffs.” He criticized these tariff taxes as factors driving up housing prices.

Emanuel Cleaver was born in Waxahachie, Texas in 1944 and currently resides in Kansas City. He graduated from Prairie View A&M University in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree.