U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, joined 114 sitting House Democrats in unveiling what they're calling "a roadmap to affordability" for American families Thursday.
The "affordability agenda" was created by the center-left group New Democrat Coalition, which includes over half of the democratic Congressional caucus.
According to a McDonald Rivet press release, the plan targets five main categories of expenses: housing, healthcare, childcare, energy and household essentials like groceries.
“Our Affordability Agenda is a set of ready-to-go solutions to take on special interests and bring down costs," McDonald Rivet said in a statement. "It’s time to stop with the chaos and get real stuff done for people who are working way too hard and still struggling to get by.”
In the plan's launch video, McDonald Rivet said efforts to support small to medium sized farmers and manufacturers will help lower the price of groceries.
"Family farms play a huge role in helping us put food on the table, but they are struggling to make ends meet," she said. "New Dems want to invest in growers so that we can get more food on shelves at a lower price."
She went on to say the plan also aims to reverse cuts to essential programs like SNAP nutrition assistance and the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The agenda includes specific provisions to lower costs in the five categories:
- Childcare & support for working families: expand access to dependent tax credits, create a national paid family and medical leave program and explore cost-sharing partnerships for monthly childcare
- Healthcare: extend premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, protect and strengthen Medicare & Medicaid
- Energy bills: defend clean energy investments, reform permitting rules, invest in biofuels and prevent consumers from bearing the costs of new data centers
- Housing: eliminate "unfair" tax breaks that favor large investors over average families
- Groceries and household essentials: roll back tariffs, support flexible federal spending, and increase minimum wage
No legislation has been introduced to Congress. The House is controlled by Republicans.
