House panel backs gas discount for service members

June 6, 2026

1–2 minutes

Summary

A House committee backed a proposal to let military exchanges discount gas by at least the amount of the federal fuel tax.

Why this matters

The measure could lower fuel costs for service members and their families if it becomes law. It also reflects how rising oil and gasoline prices are affecting military households and the broader public.

House lawmakers advanced a measure Thursday to lower gasoline prices at military exchanges for U.S. service members.

The proposal would authorize Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to offer a discount at exchange stores equal to the federal gas tax, which is 18.4 cents per gallon for regular gasoline and 24.4 cents for diesel. It would also allow the secretary to reduce prices further to offset state and local taxes.

The measure still must pass the full House and be reconciled with the Senate version before becoming part of a final fiscal 2027 defense package.

In recent years, Congress has relied on stopgap funding measures, and final defense appropriations have stretched into December.

U.S. gas prices have risen since U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran began Feb. 28. The prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil trade, has pushed oil prices higher.

Memorial Day weekend gas prices were the highest in four years, according to AAA. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $4.56, up $1.38 from the same weekend last year. By Thursday, the average had fallen to $4.24.

“But uncertainty lingers over when the Strait of Hormuz will fully reopen and resume traffic,” AAA said in a release. “That unknown means oil prices will likely not decrease dramatically as summertime gasoline demand starts going up.”

According to the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, fuel prices are set locally by surveying nearby gas stations and matching the lowest price.

More top news

lejeune lead

Carolina Museum of the Marine opens after 25 years

The museum includes 22 exhibits. It opens to the public on Monday, June 8

Full story +

The Carolina Museum of the Marine in Jacksonville held its ribbon-cutting after decades of planning, marking the opening of a $36 million museum focused on the history of the United States Marine Corps..

Exhibits begin with “They Came From The Sea,” which focuses on the Pacific Theater of World War II. Visitors can enter an amphibious vehicle as part of an exhibit on Marines landing on Iwo Jima.

“You know now they can bring their families and show them this is what your daddy or mommy does, or this is what your granddaddy did.”

Artifacts donated by Marine families appear throughout the museum. In the “Ties That Bind” section, visitors can learn about local Marines and their connections to the community.

“To all of those people that held onto their grandfathers’ and great-grandfathers’ stuff that donated it, we are very appreciative of that.”

The museum also includes an “Innovations” section with interactive exhibits on Marine aviation, technology, and changes across the Corps’ history.

Among the artifacts is a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter, described in the museum materials as the first of its kind issued to the Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune in the 1960s.

According to the museum’s website, the group rate for pre-booked groups of 10 or more is $12.
Lejeune

Ex-Onslow manager sues county over firing, pay

The lawsuit alleged the county was required to pay a lump-sum severance package equal to the remaining term of his salary and benefits if he was terminated without cause while willing and able to perform his duties.

Full story +

Former Onslow County Manager David Smitherman sued Onslow County, alleging county commissioners breached his employment contract when they terminated him earlier this year and did not provide severance benefits required under the agreement.

According to the complaint, filed June 4 in Onslow County Superior Court, Smitherman alleged the county violated a contract executed in November 2023 when it terminated him on or about Feb. 16, 2026, and did not provide severance pay.

The lawsuit said Smitherman was hired as county manager on Feb. 1, 2024, and remained in that role until commissioners voted unanimously to terminate him at a board meeting.

Robin Knapp, vice chairman of the Onslow County Board of Commissioners, said the board voted unanimously to terminate the contract because of “His failure to be willing to fulfill his duties as county manager and clerk of Onslow County.”

Smitherman said he had received positive performance reviews, including a November 2025 evaluation that rated his performance 4.25 out of 5 and stated he “consistently meets or exceeds the Board’s expectations in every major dimension of the County Manager role.”

According to the complaint, Smitherman’s contract was set to run through Dec. 31, 2028.

The complaint said the county never told Smitherman that cause existed for his termination. It also alleged he was not convicted of a crime, did not abuse substances, and did not engage in unlawful discrimination or harassment, which were listed in the contract as potential grounds for termination for cause.

According to the complaint, commissioners first asked Smitherman to resign and indicated he would receive severance benefits, then later terminated him and refused to pay those benefits.

The lawsuit also alleged members of the Board of Commissioners sought to influence hiring decisions, personnel matters, and other county operations for personal, political, or business reasons. Smitherman said he objected to actions he believed violated state law and refused to participate.

Smitherman sued for breach of contract and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. He sought reinstatement as county manager, back pay, benefits, damages exceeding $25,000, court costs, and a jury trial.
Hawaii

Hawaii to declare Saddle Road emergency zone after deaths

From Jan. 1 through Thursday, there were three fatal crashes on the highway, resulting in five deaths, compared with none during the same period last year.

Full story +

Hawaii police said Thursday they are significantly increasing selective enforcement on Daniel K. Inouye Highway after three fatal crashes this year killed five people.

Officers said they will focus on speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, and seat belt violations. The Hawaii Department of Transportation said it will declare a traffic emergency zone Saturday on Saddle Road between mile posts 5.5 and 28 to speed procurement and permitting for safety work, including speed cameras.

The latest crash happened Thursday at about 8:34 a.m. near the 18-mile marker, police said. A westbound 2003 Toyota 4-Runner lost control on a curve, hydroplaned into oncoming traffic, and was hit by a 2024 Ford F-450 dump truck. The Toyota caught fire. Its driver, whose identity was withheld pending identification and notification of next of kin, was taken to Hilo Benioff Medical Center and pronounced dead at 11:30 a.m. The Ford driver, a 53-year-old Kailua-Kona man, was treated for minor injuries.

Police said speed and intoxication did not appear to be factors, though weather may have contributed. The highway was closed for about 4 1/2 hours between Kaumana Drive and Old Saddle Road/Waikii Road.

Police also cited two double-fatal crashes last month. On May 5, 70-year-old Todd Matsushita of Hilo and 34-year-old Zachery Winston of Newport News, Virginia, died in a head-on crash near mile marker 26 after Matsushita’s eastbound Toyota Corolla was passing a vehicle and struck Winston’s westbound Hyundai Tucson, according to police. Speed and reckless driving were believed to be factors.

On May 15, 29-year-old Troy Rasse of Pahoa and 24-year-old Jadelyn Cariaga of Hilo died near mile marker 13 when the Toyota Tacoma pickup they were riding in crossed the centerline on a wet curve and struck a Dodge Ram 3500 towing a trailer with a mini-excavator, police said. Weather was believed to be a contributing factor.

The Transportation Department said it has studied sight distances, closed passing zones between mile posts 8.3 and 27.25, posted electronic safety signs, and installed thermoplastic curbs and delineators between mile posts 16.7 and 19. Planned work also includes rumble strips, additional chevrons, speed cameras issuing warnings to drivers going more than 11 mph over the limit, and a study of longer-term highway changes.

Police said officers conducted 162 selective enforcement operations on the highway in the first 155 days of 2026 and contacted 1,256 drivers. The Transportation Department said it will hold a virtual public meeting Friday at 1 p.m. before declaring the emergency zone Saturday.
Lejeune

Camp Lejeune sets 2026 July 4 event lineup

The celebration is open to Department of War ID holders and their guests.

Full story +

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune announced details for its annual Fourth of July celebration, which will coincide with the nation’s 250th birthday.

The 2026 USAA Fourth of July Celebration, presented by Guild Mortgage, is scheduled for July 4 at W.P.T. Hill Field aboard Camp Lejeune.

Gates will open at 4 p.m. Base officials said the event will include live entertainment, family activities, and a fireworks display.

Multi-platinum country artist Dylan Scott will headline the event. Pop-rock band Hot Chelle Rae, known for songs including “Tonight Tonight,” will also perform.

Base officials said the event is intended to bring together military families, service members, and the broader military community for Independence Day and to mark the nation’s semiquincentennial.

Camp Lejeune officials said guests ages 18 and older who do not have a Department of War-issued identification card must be sponsored by an authorized cardholder and obtain a visitor pass before June 26.
Hawaii

Hawaii renews Guard wildfire helicopter response

State officials said the program helped last year, when Guard air crews logged 105 flight hours and dropped 283,908 gallons of water on four major fires after quick initial responses.

Full story +

Gov. Josh Green signed an emergency proclamation Thursday to keep Hawaii National Guard helicopters ready for wildfire response during high-risk months for a second straight year.

Green said the order is intended to increase resources for containing and extinguishing fires early. “For the second year, we are taking steps to ensure Hawaii is prepared and the valuable time needed for response is accelerated,” he said in a statement.

Under the proclamation, three Hawaii Army National Guard helicopters — a CH-47F Chinook and an HH-60 Black Hawk on Oahu, and a Black Hawk on Hawaii island — will remain “postured to fly” firefighting missions through Nov. 30 in support of county and state first responders. The effort is called Operation Ho‘opauahi, which means “to extinguish fire.”

Green signed the 2025 wildfire season proclamation July 18. The state expanded the operational window this year in part because multiple wildfires in the first half of July 2024 led to residential evacuations and one fatality.

The proclamation delegates the governor’s authority to activate Hawaii National Guard units to the state adjutant general when needed to assist civilian authorities in averting imminent public danger or providing disaster relief.

It also funds flight operations, refueling, and maintenance support from June 1 to Nov. 30, including August and September, typically among the state’s warmest months, when dry vegetation can increase wildfire risk.
Finance & Markets

Bitcoin Drops Below $60,000 as Crypto Rout Deepens

Bitcoin has lost more than half its value since rising above $126,000 in October last year.

Full story +

Bitcoin fell below $60,000 for the first time since October 2024, extending a decline that followed its surge after President Donald Trump’s reelection.

The largest cryptocurrency fell as much as 7% to $59,101 on Friday during New York trading.

The latest drop was driven by money leaving Bitcoin-linked exchange-traded funds, renewed geopolitical tensions, and concerns about a key source of demand. Strategy Inc., led by Michael Saylor and known for large Bitcoin purchases, became a focus of those concerns after disclosing a rare sale of the token this week.

The broader environment has also become less supportive for cryptocurrencies. Money that had flowed into crypto is now being spread across a wider range of speculative assets, while artificial intelligence has drawn investor attention.

AI stocks have become a leading growth trade, reducing Bitcoin’s appeal. Retail investors have also been putting money into short-dated options and prediction markets. Within digital assets, stablecoins and so-called perpetual futures have attracted attention that in earlier cycles might have gone to Bitcoin.

Other cryptocurrencies also fell Friday. Ether dropped as much as 13% to its lowest level since April 2025, while XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin each fell more than 5%.

The downturn came at a time when the crypto industry had been expected to benefit from a more favorable political environment.
Middle East

U.S. hits Iranian radar sites after drone launches

A U.S. official said the military believed the drones were targeting regional maritime traffic.

Full story +

U.S. forces struck Iranian coastal radar and surveillance sites Saturday after shooting down four drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz, the military said.

U.S. Central Command said on X that it struck surveillance sites at Goruk and Qeshm Island, both on the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted bases in the region with missiles in retaliation for earlier strikes and fired on four tankers attempting to cross the strait without its permission.

Kuwaiti state media reported that air defenses intercepted missile and drone attacks of undisclosed origin. In Bahrain, sirens sounded and residents were urged to seek shelter. Iran said it had hit bases in both countries with ballistic missiles, but the military said six missiles were intercepted and a seventh did not reach its target.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah said Sunday it carried out two attacks on Israeli troops in south Lebanon, including near Beaufort Castle, while Lebanese security services said Israeli airstrikes hit towns across the south. Iran has tied any peace deal with Washington to a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Finance & Markets

Nasdaq drops, S&P 500 falls on jobs data, chip sell-off

U.S. employers added 172,000 jobs in May, above economists’ expectations of about 88,000. The unemployment rate was 4.3%.

Full story +

U.S. stocks fell sharply Friday, led by losses in technology shares after the May jobs report came in stronger than expected and a sell-off in chipmakers continued.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1%. The S&P 500 dropped 2.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined more than 3.8%. Nvidia shares fell 6%.

The report increased expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates later this year as the labor market stabilizes amid high inflation. Traders are now fully pricing in a rate hike by year-end, even as President Trump continues to call for cuts and Kevin Warsh, Trump’s appointee to chair the Fed, takes the helm.

Chip stocks extended recent losses after Broadcom earnings earlier this week weighed on the artificial intelligence trade. Broadcom shares continued to fall Friday. Nvidia dropped more than 4%, while Micron, Advanced Micro Devices, and Intel each lost more than 8%.

The S&P 500 was also at risk of ending a weekly winning streak. The index had been on pace for a 10th straight week of gains, which would have been its longest such run since 1985.
Science

U.S. science lead narrows as China, India, Iran rise

Sanctions pushed Iran to build more domestic research capacity by limiting access to imported technology and outside funding.

Full story +

Iran, despite broad international sanctions and limited access to Western research infrastructure, has emerged as one of the fastest-rising scientific producers, according to Amir Faghri, founder and chief executive of ScholarGPS.

Faghri wrote that Iran’s gains, along with China’s leadership in several fields and India’s rapid expansion, showed a broader shift in global science and engineering. He said the United States remained the leading research power overall and continued to lead medicine, life sciences, and biology in ScholarGPS lifetime and recent five-year rankings, which are based on research output, effect, and quality.

But he said China led recent five-year rankings in engineering, physical sciences, and agriculture. Iran, he wrote, moved from outside the top 20 in lifetime rankings to inside the top 10 in recent five-year rankings in engineering, agriculture, and public health.

Faghri said data from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute pointed to a broader redistribution of scientific capacity with implications for U.S. competitiveness, technology, and national security.

He attributed the shift to sustained investment in education and research, and to stronger integration into global research networks. In Iran, decades of expansion increased the number of universities from about 20 before the 1979 revolution to more than 600, with thousands of additional higher education and research institutes, according to UNESCO and the World Bank. Student enrollment rose from about 150,000 to nearly 4 million, he wrote.

Faghri said women now make up a majority of university students in Iran and have significant representation in scientific and technical fields, citing UNESCO and World Bank data. He contrasted that with the United States, where women remain underrepresented in some science, technology, engineering, and math fields.

Iranian researchers continued to collaborate internationally, especially with peers in China and, to a lesser extent, Russia, while ties to the United States persisted through diaspora networks, he wrote.

Faghri said recent political pressure on major U.S. research universities and federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, along with funding cuts and uncertainty in higher education, could weaken U.S. research leadership if sustained.
Health

Trump says TrumpRx added 160 drugs, tops 800

TrumpRx.gov lets users search for discounted medications, view estimated savings, and generate coupons for participating prescriptions.

Full story +

President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration’s prescription drug discount website, TrumpRx.gov, added 160 medications, bringing the total available through the program to more than 800.

In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “I am pleased to announce that TrumpRx.gov is adding another 160 Prescription Drugs, at highly discounted prices, for a new total of over 800 of the most commonly-used Prescription Drugs.”

He added, “TrumpRx.gov will now provide clear, transparent, and DISCOUNTED offerings for FOUR OUT OF FIVE of every prescription filled by Americans.”

Trump introduced the initiative in February, saying Americans have long paid more for prescription drugs than consumers in many other countries.

The website launched after the administration finalized agreements with 16 major pharmaceutical companies under what it called “most-favored-nation” pricing arrangements. According to the administration, participating drugmakers received tariff-related exemptions in exchange for lowering prices on some medications and extending discounted pricing to eligible cash-paying consumers through TrumpRx.

Companies including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk participated in the program and agreed to reduce prices on popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Administration officials also cited discounts on inhalers, HIV treatments, diabetes medications, and fertility drugs.

Trump said the program built on efforts from his first term to lower drug costs. He wrote, “Then, during my Second Term, I decided to go BIG with Most Favored Nations Pricing — That is to say, we pay no more or, ideally, less than any other Country for the same exact Drug.”

He also wrote, “Now we are cutting Prices, and cutting them by a LOT, sometimes by 400 or 500 or 600 Percent!”

Trump said the program had saved consumers more than $400 million since TrumpRx.gov launched. He also credited tariffs with helping secure the agreements and said he had directed his administration to pursue additional pricing deals and partnerships.