{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://comer.house.gov/2022/6/column", "Column: It\u2019s Clear Democrats Need to Take an Economics 101 Course", "2022-06-30", "2022", "2022-06", "Republican", "House", "KY", "James Comer", "C001108", "comer.house.gov", "comer", "https://comer.house.gov/media", "scraper", "Americans are suffering due to the Biden administration\u2019s disastrous economic policies. While Congressional Democrats continue to dodge responsibility for their reckless spending, nationwide inflation has reached 8.6%, a 40-year high.\n\nDemocrats have failed to put Americans first.\n\nDue to this administration\u2019s economic policies, President Biden has pushed us to the precipice of another Democrat-led recession. Americans are in survival mode only a year-and-a-half into Biden\u2019s tenure. Unfortunately, President Biden is seemingly more concerned with appeasing his radical, far-left base and Green New Deal advocates.\n\nWe\u2019re seeing the consequences right here in Kentucky. Because of the Biden administration\u2019s energy policies, the average price of gas in the commonwealth has reached $4.80 per gallon. The national average is also skyrocketing, now $5 per gallon.\n\nLet\u2019s put this into perspective.\n\nUnder the Trump administration, Americans paid $2.39, on average, at the gas pump.\n\nWhile President Biden often blames American businesses for increased prices, the real blame lies within his own policies. Unnecessary legislation in the form of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan incentivized Americans not to work. The President\u2019s push for this reckless spending caused labor shortages, supply chain bottlenecks, and inflation. In addition, his administration ended the Keystone Pipeline and halted new oil production permits.\n\nIt\u2019s clear Democrats need to take an Economics 101 course.\n\nTo control the rapidly increasing inflation, the Federal Reserve will now be forced to act. Increased interest rates will make it more difficult for Americans to achieve the American Dream. It is indefensible that President Biden and Congressional Democrats expect Americans to take the hit for their mistakes.\n\nCommunities in Western Kentucky continue to recover from a series of tornadoes that struck the region on December 10, 2021. In the wake of these storms, many are still dealing with economic uncertainty. As rebuilding efforts continue, rising prices for food and gas are the last issues that my constituents should be forced to worry about.\n\nI\u2019m also hearing from farmers who are being pushed to their breaking points. It\u2019s costing over $5,000 dollars per day to keep farm equipment running. This is unsustainable.\n\nAfter inheriting unprecedented economic growth created under the Trump administration, President Biden and Congressional Democrats recklessly reversed progress.\n\nPresident Biden refuses to implement measures that would immediately relieve economic stresses, and Congressional Democrats are convinced they can hijack your taxpayer dollars and spend their way out of this crisis.\n\nI will continue to push Democrats to hold the Biden administration accountable as the lead Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.\n\nMy heart is with everyone making tough decisions just to put gas in their vehicles and food on their tables. As I continue to proudly represent the 1st Congressional District of Kentucky, I will push to be a good steward of their taxpayer dollars.\n\nThe prosperity of middle-class Americans should not be dictated by individuals who don\u2019t even pump their own gas.\n\nRep. James Comer is a United States Congressman for the 1st Congressional District, which spans from South Central Kentucky to the river counties of far Western Kentucky. Contact him with any questions or concerns in his Washington D.C. office at (202) 225-3115, in the Tompkinsville Office at (270) 487-9509, in the Paducah Office at (270) 408-1865, or schedule an appointment in the Madisonville Office by calling (270) 487-9509.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:13:54Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://comer.house.gov/2022/6/column"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5598200261592865, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}