From the pump to the grocery store, you’re paying more. Congress needs to act to reduce prices, fix broken supply chains, and get inflation under control to secure a brighter future for ourselves and our children.
In the United States and worldwide, people are struggling with the economic aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Concerns over the pandemic and the great resignation have caused massive labor shortages and economic uncertainty, which have led to raw material shortages that are driving up prices globally. At the same time, Putin’s gas tax, the closure of American refineries during the pandemic, and OPEC’s refusal to drastically increase production have Americans and people worldwide paying more at the pump.
Congress has a role in providing relief to the American people and solving some of the causes of these ongoing issues.
Support Tax Cuts for the Middle Class
Higher rent, grocery, and childcare costs to name a few, are emptying the pockets of working families. We need to lower taxes on the middle class to give workers some breathing room. Many families live paycheck to paycheck. Congress must maintain existing middle-class tax cuts and explore options for expanding tax relief.
Support a Livable Minimum Wage
The minimum wage needs to be a livable wage. The fact remains that a worker who puts in 40 hours a week with no overtime should, at a minimum, receive compensation that is more than just scraping by. As Americans, we believed this in 1933, and we believe it today. Unfortunately, too many large companies pay their workers starvation wages, and taxpayers fill in the difference. As your representative, I’ll fight for livable wages that will increase with inflation, are adequate for the local cost of living, and are tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Offer Loans and Grants to Restart or Expand Childcare Small Businesses & Reduce Costs for Families
During the pandemic, public health restrictions and concerns over COVID-19 led many childcare-focused small businesses to close their doors, leaving working parents with limited options for providing care for their children. Estimates suggest up to 16,000 childcare providers shut down in the pandemic, and lack of childcare is estimated to cost working families up to $9.5 billion in lost earnings. By offering loans and grants to existing childcare businesses to expand or to recently shuttered businesses to start back up, we can create jobs for care providers and help get those who want to work back to work to provide additional income for their families. While additional care facilities should help to reduce costs, Congress should act to ensure no family is spending over 7% of their household budget on childcare as recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Support Small and Large Ohio Farmers to Ensure America’s Food Security
As a member of Congress, I intend to be a steadfast supporter of farmers in Ohio. Supply chain issues are driving up prices for producers and families and the war in Ukraine causing global agricultural shortages. Ensuring food security has never been a more critical issue.
I intend to work across the aisle, and with everyone to support efforts to reduce prices at the grocery store for Americans while also supporting small farmers. I also plan to work closely with dairy farmers to modernize Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs), support further sustainability efforts, and work to pass the Dairy Pride Act.