Kilmer and New Democrat Coalition Announce Action Plan to Fight Inflation and Cut Costs for Americans

06.08.22

Washington, DC- Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) joined the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) in releasing a comprehensive action plan to fight inflation, lower the cost of living for Americans, and secure the long-term fiscal future of the nation. The NDC action plan examines the actions President Biden and Congressional Democrats have already taken to cut costs and outlines tangible steps federal policymakers can take to reduce prices on essential goods and services and provide relief to American families, workers, and businesses.

Kilmer joined the NDC's first-of-its-kind Inflation Working Group to meet with economists, policy experts, and key stakeholders in order to develop and advance effective policy solutions to fight inflation. Today's action plan is the result of months of work in Congress and aims to serve as an essential guide to strengthening and diversifying global supply chains, getting people back to work, lowering prices on everyday necessities like energy, food, housing, health care, and more.

"Now that the economy has shown signs of robust recovery, we're facing real concerns about rising inflation around the world - including here in America. It's a problem for all of our families if the costs of the things we depend upon rise to the point where we cannot afford them," said Rep. Kilmer. "I know folks are sitting at their kitchen tables trying to figure out how to make ends meet. It's important to me that we give people who are feeling the squeeze of rising prices a break. That's why I've been working with my colleagues in Congress, as well as economists and policy experts, to come up with a plan to provide immediate relief and keep inflation down in the long-term. I'll keep pushing for actions to lower costs for folks in our region."

The action plan recognizes steps Congress has already taken to lower prices, and outlines further actions to address inflation, including:

• Strengthening global supply chains
• Getting more people back to work
• Suspending and reducing tariffs and other trade barriers
• Lowering energy prices and transitioning to a clean energy economy
• Increasing affordable housing
• Lowering the price of food
• Reducing the out-of-pocket costs for Americans
• Investing in the long-term fiscal strength of the nation

Kilmer and NDC Leadership members today also wrote to President Biden and Congressional Leadership calling for the implementation of the Coalition's plan to fight inflation. NDC urged President Biden to roll back costly and ineffective Trump-era tariffs, address the workforce shortage, and work to lower costs on everyday necessities, including housing, energy, and health care. In Congress, NDC is pressing leadership to quickly finalize a bipartisan innovation bill, negotiate a strong reconciliation bill focused on fighting inflation, and use every legislative week to advance an affordability agenda on the House floor.

In the past year, Congress passed and President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan - which has been credited with getting Americans back to work and growing the economy - as well as a significant infrastructure bill. However, according to economists, the rapid economic growth, along with lingering pandemic challenges and Putin's unjust war in Ukraine, have led to rising prices across the globe.

"Thanks to President Biden and Congressional Democrats' work on the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, we've seen record-setting economic growth, millions of Americans are vaccinated, kids are back in school, and people are back at work," said NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01). "But despite this progress, real economic challenges remain, and global inflation is hitting American families hard. That's why the New Democrat Coalition created an Inflation Action Plan that outlines key actions Congress and the Biden administration can take to ensure Americans can afford everyday necessities - like food and gas. Americans sent us to Washington to deliver on the issues that matter most and tackle urgent challenges with effective solutions. As the 'get stuff done' caucus in Congress, that's exactly what New Dems will do."

New Dems intend to work closely with the Biden administration and colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fully execute this Action Plan to Fight Inflation to provide swift relief to families and set the American economy up for long-term success.

You can find the full NDC Inflation Action Plan here.

You can find the letter to President Biden here.

You can find the letter to Congressional leadership here.

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