Issues of the Day

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MEUSER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Johnson), my good friend, the vice chair, for his leadership.

Madam Speaker, my constituents tend to say this phrase very often lately. They have had enough.

Madam Speaker, American families, seniors, and small business owners are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing inflation. That is not news to anyone. Families are contending with high prices at the grocery store just to put food on their table and canceling summer vacations due to record-high gas prices. Small business owners are being squeezed with the increased prices of supplies, shipping costs, wages, you name it, while they are seeing reduced revenues from customers who are reducing their own spending, of course.

Our seniors, many living on fixed incomes, are struggling to maintain their basic quality of life, afford necessities, and the gasoline it takes to travel to their doctor appointments. But, Madam Speaker, you don't have to take my word for it.

This week, I asked my constituents how inflation has impacted their daily lives. In less than 24 hours, I received over 1,400 responses from seniors, from small business owners, from mothers and fathers from every corner of my district who are struggling to keep up with inflation.

A few examples: Michelle from Schuylkill County had to cancel necessary doctor appointments because she cannot afford the current price of gasoline.

Karl and his family from Carbon County had to cancel their vacation due to astronomical gas prices.

William from Carbon County has informed me that inflation has gotten so bad that he must choose between eating or whether to fill up a gas tank to attend his needed doctor appointments.

Rick, a small business owner from Luzerne County, has had to slow down his business expansion and is unable to hire new employees while also having to raise prices just to keep his business afloat.

Scott from Lebanon County has been unable to visit his elderly father due to inflation slashing into his savings.

These are actual responses from my constituents.

Today, Madam Speaker, I had small business owners and constituents from my district in for a small business roundtable. Some of their feedback on inflation included fighting the headwinds rather than extending any of their resources to grow their business, delaying growth and delaying projects and hiring.

One constituent who does construction stated that the recent T&I bill that was passed in this House will now create 30 percent less projects in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the high level of inflation. That really hits home, to say the least.

Madam Speaker, I have to say that in only 18 months, my constituents are right. They have had enough.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MEUSER. We do. We can.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source