releases: https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/inflation
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/inflation | INFLATION | 2023-02-01 | 2023 | 2023-02 | Republican | Senate | MS | Cindy Hyde-Smith | H001079 | www.hydesmith.senate.gov | hydesmith | https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/newsroom | scraper | INFLATION Congressional Record Vol. 169, No. 21 (Senate - February 1, 2023) PDF Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Madam President, in less than a week, President Biden will deliver his State of the Union Address to the Nation. In the buildup to that speech, we are already seeing the President and his administration spinning a tale about just how wonderful things are in this country, particularly after they took power and racked up more than $3 trillion more in spending. Unfortunately, those tall tales do not reflect the reality for the people in my home State of Mississippi or across the Nation. In the 2 years since President Biden took office, we have seen his administration fail the American people time and time again. Inflation was 1.4 percent in January of 2021, but the policies the President has forced on this Nation since then have made daily living unaffordable for families. Today, a strong majority of Americans--more than 70 percent--believe that the country is on the wrong track, and it is easy to understand why. Too many workers and families now live paycheck to paycheck, trying to keep the lights on, put food on the table, get gas in their cars, and stock up on everyday essentials that they have to have. President Biden's inflationary runaway spending is a root cause of the skyrocketed prices we are paying for all goods and services. Not a single industry is spared the cost of this inflation. Since Joe Biden took office, higher prices have cost families an additional $10,000, and there seems to be no end in sight. Prices have gone up across the board to 13.5 percent, and grocery costs have jumped 18.6 percent. Just look at the price of essential staples: Chicken breast prices have gone up by 33 percent, and ground beef, whole milk, and bread have gone up by 21 percent. Unlike President Biden, I actually have to take a trip to the grocery store to feed my family. I do all of my own shopping, and I see firsthand how these price increases affect the people of Mississippi. In the checkout line, I have watched a mother forced to put something back on the shelf after realizing that she can't afford everything in her cart. I have seen a retired husband grabbing only the barest necessities for the week. Up and down the aisle, as I push my buggy, the conversation is constant on ``Can you believe how much the price of groceries has increased and how expensive it is?'' It breaks my heart to see the individuals in my community and the Nation struggling to get by. It shouldn't be this way, but in Joe Biden's America, you are forced to weigh priorities on buying groceries, prescription medicine, or putting gas in your car. When it comes to energy prices, the hardship continues for many Americans. This pain is 100 percent self-inflicted by the Biden administration's stubborn refusal to maximize American energy production. According to census data, about 22 percent of American households could not pay their energy bill last year. When families were actually able to pay, they had to sacrifice other necessities, such as groceries, their medicine, or their gasoline. This winter isn't bringing any relief either. Compared to last winter, the average household will spend upwards of 28 percent more to heat their home with natural gas, according to the Energy Information Administration. Electricity rates are also expected to continue to rise due to lower domestic supply of liquefied natural gas as well as labor shortages and the cost of materials. But this should come as no surprise since the attack on American energy began on day one of the Biden Presidency. In fact, this administration's regulatory overreach also contributes to rising costs across our economy. Despite record-high prices, Joe Biden wants to further regulate the agriculture industry. The Food Safety and Inspection Service, for instance, is studying line speeds of poultry plants with the ultimate goal of just slowing them down, which will affect costs and supplies in the grocery stores. In addition, the EPA recently unveiled its new waters of the United States rule, which will further hamper the ability of farmers to grow food because the Federal Government will have the ability to regulate ditches and low spots on private land. It is a basic fact that it is expensive to comply with overly burdensome regulations. The Biden administration's desire to overregulate everything makes it seem as if the President wants Americans to struggle to afford food. Madam President, the American people are smart, and they understand when things aren't going well. The rosy stories the White House will barrage us with before the State of the Union Address won't change the fact that the American dream seems further from attainable for hard-working families because we just cannot afford Joe Biden. My colleagues and I want to get our economy back on track to relieve the financial stress that families are experiencing. We must stop the irresponsible government spending, unleash American energy production, cut regulations, and embrace pro-growth commonsense policies. The American people deserve that. I yield the floor. | 1 | 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z | 2026-04-06T17:47:45Z |