[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S186-S188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING THE OBSERVATION OF NATIONAL TRAFFICKING AND MODERN SLAVERY
PREVENTION MONTH--Continued
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
Inflation
Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, I rise today to discuss yet another of
the consequences of President Biden's policies, and that is that prices
are going up, the price hikes.
Families in West Virginia and across our Nation are struggling
because the policies and priorities of these past 2 years have made
essential items and goods seemingly unattainable. Whether it is gas,
goods or services, energy prices, utility costs, small business
expenses, owning a home, or simply affording to put food on the table,
American families are squeezed at every turn.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, prices have
risen 13.7 percent since President Biden took office. A recent report
from the Heritage Foundation found that because of that staggering
rise, the average American family has $7,400 less in their pocket at
the end of the year.
This is a timely topic today because the Federal Reserve has just
announced the eighth consecutive interest rate hike they have had to
deploy in order to curb this administration's 2-year spending spree
which is fueling our high-inflation economy. But an interest rate
hike--once reserved as a measure that sends a direct signal to
policymakers--is just another Wednesday in this President's America.
Chairman Powell warned last August that the continued interest rate
increases and inflationary pressures would bring ``pain to households
and businesses.'' And, boy, does that ring true today. Meanwhile,
President Biden continues to laud small inflation changes and slowed
economic growth, but he refuses to recognize his administration's role
in the record-high prices that the American middle class is continuing
to have to face or the further economic fallout Americans are likely to
face--projected by many economists--later this year from interest rate
hikes in the past year.
So let's just dive into this a little bit. Whether it is a
conversation with Senate colleagues, waiting in line at a store, or a
constituent calling my office, the cost of food remains a central topic
of concern all across this Nation. According to the most recent reports
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of groceries went up 11.8
percent from the year prior. You hear about it with meat, eggs, bread,
and butter--all the essentials. To add to this, the cost of restaurant
purchases is up 8.4 percent. In fact, the price of every food category
has continued to grow at a faster rate than its historical average.
A recent PBS analysis also points out that America's rural population
is experiencing their cost of living going up faster and lingering
longer than those in urban areas, and that is a factor that
disproportionately impacts people in my State of West Virginia. In the
words of one West Virginian who wrote in to my office, ``How are we
supposed to keep our houses warm and food on the table?''
Speaking of housing, it remains unaffordable. Because of President
Biden's price hikes, fixed mortgage rates rose from 3.4 percent in
January of 2022 to over double, 7.12 percent, in a matter of months.
The National Association of Realtors' Housing Affordability Index
dipped below 100, signifying that average American families do not have
enough money to qualify for a mortgage on a median-priced home. In
other words, new families and hard-working individuals who made smart
financial decisions with the hope of purchasing a home can no longer
pursue that dream because it is out of reach; it is unaffordable.
Moving to energy--something that is absolutely central to the proud
history and tradition of our State, my State--despite the recent
downturn in energy prices, it can't be forgotten that Americans are
still paying 30 percent more for energy, and at its peak in June of
2022, it was 70 percent more. With costs
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like this becoming more mainstream--actually, gas is going up just
recently--American families are having to choose again between keeping
their lights on, filling their car with gas, or buying groceries.
This is not only unfair, but it is avoidable. It is avoidable for
folks living in a country with as many resources as we have right here
in the United States. It also shows the direct impact on our families
when leaders turn their backs on American energy.
Additionally, the U.S. manufacturing industry has not been exempt
from the economic woes created by this administration. The Institute
for Supply Management's manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index--that
is a big clump of words there--fell into contraction category in
November and December of 2022. Meanwhile, despite this, President Biden
has been touting a historic manufacturing boom that doesn't really
exist. The reality is, U.S. manufacturers may be on their way to a
recession, and the downturn will likely deepen as purchasing power
decreases and interest rates continue to rise, as they did today. This
further demonstrates how out of touch the administration is from the
devastating reality that American businesses are grappling with.
So if you don't believe me--I hope you do, but if you don't believe
me, take it from my constituents. Back home, they write frequently to
express the middle-class squeeze they are feeling. Erwin from Mercer
County in Southern West Virginia said that the current economic
condition has created a choice for him between driving to work and
feeding his family.
Paige from Buckhannon said something similar. She said:
I have full time jobs and two children. I'm tearful because
I sit here [wondering and] looking at upcoming bills and I'm
having to . . . pay a bill or buy groceries.
Ronald from Cabell County, over in the Huntington area:
How do you propose that I continue to be able to live with
increasing food prices--gasoline prices--and the ever-
increasing utility costs?
Jeremy in Raleigh County told me:
My electric bill at my residence is double the cost of my
mortgage every month. This is not sustainable. I will go
bankrupt just trying to keep the lights on.
But this isn't just impacting Jeremy because Jeremy is a great family
man and a great friend, and he is trying to help his friends,
neighbors, and family pay their electric bills as well.
So I am continuously inspired by this kindness that I see and the
generosity of West Virginians toward one another, but it shouldn't have
to come to this.
So my question to President Biden this week is, When is enough
enough? Even in areas where we have prices that are decreasing in
recent months, President Biden is trying to take credit when, in
actuality, prices are still much, much higher than when he took office.
Now more than ever, American families need leadership, not misleading
messages and attempts to take credit when it is not deserved. American
families are asking for a path out from the hole created by the price
hikes my colleagues and I will continue to highlight on the Senate
floor today.
With that, I see Senator Hyde-Smith from the great State of
Mississippi here to talk about, I am sure, similar issues. She has been
a champion of affordability and the middle-class worker to try to help
meet these very challenges that I outlined. So I welcome her.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
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
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American energy production, cut regulations, and embrace pro-growth
commonsense policies. The American people deserve that.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I am pleased to rise today and join my
colleagues from West Virginia and Mississippi, and I join them to, once
again, call attention to the disastrous effects of President Biden's
price hikes and his policies.
Americans are facing soaring inflation that has not been seen in
generations. Price increases families are seeing at the grocery store,
at the pump, in monthly electric bills, and for basic housing needs
have far outpaced wage gains and left Americans struggling to make ends
meet.
The numbers speak for themselves. In 2022, annual average inflation
reached 8 percent, the highest level in 40 years. Rather than working
to solve the problem, the Biden administration seems set on making it
worse. You don't need to look any further than your kitchen to find the
latest example.
In 2022, the food-at-home price index, which measures grocery prices,
rose 18.6 percent--18.6 percent--reaching heights not seen since the
Carter administration. This rise in food prices is directly related to
increases in the cost of production faced by our hard-working farmers
and ranchers.
These increases are driven by the Biden administration's continued
regulatory overreach, failure to empower our domestic energy producers,
and failed economic policies. Our producers are facing increased prices
for diesel fuel, fertilizer, and for crop protection products, and
more. New regulations from this administration threaten to drive up the
cost of production even further.
The recently published ``Waters of the United States,'' or WOTUS, is
a prime example of regulations that will stifle our agriculture and
energy industries and make inflation worse. Instead of this disastrous
rule--this WOTUS rule--we should take a States-first approach to
protect our land and water that respects private property rights. This
comes on top of the administration's misguided approach to domestic
energy production, which has caused us to increase our reliance on
foreign energy suppliers, which has increased the price of the gallon
of gasoline by more than $1 since the administration took office--more
than $1 a gallon.
We should be empowering our domestic energy producers, including
those in my State of North Dakota, to restore our energy independence,
reduce our reliance on foreign oil imports, create more jobs here at
home, and help reduce prices for consumers. We need to unleash
America's vast energy reserves. That is the right solution to lower
prices and help provide hard-working families and businesses relief
from the record inflation that has been caused by the policies of the
Biden administration.
The Biden administration needs to stop doubling down on failed
economic policies. The administration needs to get government out of
the way and focus on the fundamentals. That includes increased domestic
energy production, securing our border, and taking meaningful action to
reduce inflation.
I yield the floor.
S. Res. 21
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the
resolution designating January as ``National Trafficking and Modern
Slavery Prevention Month.''
I am proud to introduce this resolution every year to raise awareness
about the ongoing atrocities of human trafficking. We must continue to
support the ongoing partnerships between governments, nonprofits,
service providers, and survivors, who are all working to end human
trafficking.
The human trafficking industry generates an estimated $150 billion in
illegal profits a year. And human trafficking impacts 50 million
victims around the world. Many of the victims of human trafficking are
often difficult to identify and are subjected to manipulation, force,
fraud, and abuse. We cannot turn a blind eye to ongoing exploitation
and forced labor in our country and throughout the world. We have a
responsibility to raise awareness of these horrendous acts, ensure
victims understand that they are not alone, and provide legislative
solutions to support and protect survivors.
Last Congress, I was able to work with my Senate colleagues to
reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. By designating
January as ``National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention
Month,'' we will shine a light on the issue and continue the bipartisan
charge to end trafficking and exploitation.
I respectfully ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Baldwin). The senior Senator from Montana.
Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that we start
the vote immediately.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Without objection, it is so ordered.
Vote on S. Res. 21
The question is on adoption of S. Res. 21.
Ms. SMITH. Can we have the yeas and nays, please?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Wyden) is
necessarily absent.
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator
from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Rubio).
The result was announced--yeas 97, nays 0, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 4 Leg.]
YEAS--97
Baldwin
Barrasso
Bennet
Blackburn
Blumenthal
Booker
Boozman
Braun
Britt
Brown
Budd
Cantwell
Capito
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Cassidy
Collins
Coons
Cornyn
Cortez Masto
Cotton
Cramer
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Duckworth
Durbin
Ernst
Feinstein
Fetterman
Fischer
Gillibrand
Graham
Grassley
Hagerty
Hassan
Hawley
Heinrich
Hickenlooper
Hirono
Hoeven
Hyde-Smith
Johnson
Kaine
Kelly
Kennedy
King
Klobuchar
Lankford
Lee
Lujan
Lummis
Manchin
Markey
Marshall
McConnell
Menendez
Merkley
Moran
Mullin
Murphy
Murray
Ossoff
Padilla
Paul
Peters
Reed
Ricketts
Risch
Romney
Rosen
Rounds
Sanders
Schatz
Schmitt
Schumer
Scott (FL)
Scott (SC)
Shaheen
Sinema
Smith
Stabenow
Sullivan
Tester
Thune
Tillis
Tuberville
Van Hollen
Vance
Warner
Warnock
Warren
Welch
Whitehouse
Wicker
Young
NOT VOTING--3
Murkowski
Rubio
Wyden
The resolution (S. Res. 21) was agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Murphy). Under the previous order, the
preamble is agreed to and the motions to reconsider are considered made
and laid upon the table.
The preamble was agreed to.
(The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in today's Record
under ``Submitted Resolutions.'')
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
____________________