Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I commend him and the members of the committee, as we just heard from Congresswoman Spanberger, for their very important work recognizing the needs of America's working families with their kitchen table issues, recognizing the needs in rural America for us to have legislation that strengthens rural America's hand in the decisions that we make as we go forward.

Mr. Speaker, as we gather here, the war continues in Ukraine. It is an unprovoked, outrageous act of aggression on the part of Putin and Russia invading the territorial borders of Ukraine.

At the same time, doing that has driven up prices here at home, driven up prices at the pump; it is a Putin price at the pump. That is the main reason, in the short period of time following the invasion of Ukraine, the price at the pump went up its highest amount in a very long time.

Russia is also a source of fertilizer, a big source of fertilizer to our country, and of course, diminishing the supply coming in raises the cost of fertilizer and contributes to the cost for our farmers, and of course, then contributes to the price of food at the grocery store. It is an important kitchen table issue.

Putin's price at the pump is exacerbating the skyrocketing costs weighing heavily on our families. Again, since Russia began its saber- rattling against Ukraine, gas prices in many places went up $2 per gallon.

Meanwhile, the World Bank reports that global food prices in March and April spiked 16 percent over the 2 months prior, and while Putin works to fuel inflation today, the Democratic House--hopefully, in a bipartisan way--takes a strong step to bring down crucial kitchen table costs at the pump and grocery store and across the board.

Our Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act does precisely what the name suggests in three major areas.

First, the bill brings down the costs for farmers in the field. As we know, oil, gasoline is an important factor of production for farmers in order for them to produce. The war in Ukraine has restricted the supply of fertilizer, as I mentioned, and sent the costs through the roof. By taking action to lower the costs on the farm, we lower the costs on the shelf in the grocery store and on the kitchen table.

Second, this bill bolsters competition in the meatpacking industry, and I thank Mr. Scott for his leadership. Cracking down on the market power of big conglomerates and increasing competition will ensure ranchers get a fair deal for their livestock while families get a good price for meat and poultry.

Third, this bill will help make cheaper, cleaner homegrown biofuels more widely available. This summer drivers who choose to fill up with Unleaded 88 could save an average of 40 cents a gallon, and by making this fuel more widely available it will unleash the power of America's farmers to help break the grip of foreign autocrats on energy markets; lower gas prices, while keeping our dollars here at home; and reduce pollution because biofuels are cleaner than petroleum.

Today's action to lower food and fuel costs is the latest manifestation of House Democrats' unyielding commitment to fight inflation.

Last month, our majority voted to hold Big Oil accountable for price gouging and war profiteering, which has kept energy prices excessively high.

This week, we passed legislation to crack down on exorbitant ocean shipping fees, leveling the playing field for American businesses and lowering costs for American consumers. Proudly today, President Biden will sign this legislation into law. It is called the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022.

As we speak, the Congress is hard at work on a bold, bipartisan, bicameral competitiveness package to make more goods in America; strengthen our supply chains; diversify our STEM workforce; and reinvigorate research and development. We look forward to sending this strong cost-cutting legislation to the President's desk.

Here is the thing: Inflation springs from higher costs. Higher costs spring from shorter supply. Shorter supply is there because of COVID preventing certain products from coming into our country, so short supply. Short supply of factors of production coming into our country.

That is why the COMPETES Act is so important because it will make us more independent, more self-sufficient on the products we need; for example, chips. Chips are a very important part of that bill. To make a car it takes 1,000 chips; an electric car, 2,000 chips. But we can't do that manufacturing unless we have chips, and if other countries are saving chips for themselves at home or the high fees of transporting them make it just unaffordable to people, we need to make these chips at home, and that is what the COMPETES Act enables us to do.

So lowering costs for our families; when we ran in 2018--just to bring back promises made--we said we were going to lower costs by lowering the costs of prescription drugs, and that is what we are in the midst of doing now. We are going to lower costs in every way for America's working families. That is what this legislation does here.

We are going to have bigger paychecks. And we have had, since President Biden took office, working with the private sector and the nonprofit sector and the public sector, 8 million jobs have been created. Unemployment has been cut in half. Wages have gone up. That also contributes to inflation, which must be addressed, and this legislation is part of doing that.

So this legislation is a strong step in that direction, and I salute the relentless leadership of the Agriculture chair, David Scott, and the Energy and Commerce chair, Frank Pallone, who is an important part of this, as well as Representatives Spanberger, Craig, Axne, and Harder and the dedicated staff of both committees.

Together, they have assembled a package of popular bipartisan legislation with a laser focus on fighting inflation.

Make no mistake, a vote against this bill is a vote to keep the cost of gas and groceries high, when we can do just the opposite by voting for it.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong ``yes'' vote.

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