Spanberger encourages U.S. Senate to pass legislation to lower food, fuel costs

The Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act passed the U.S. House by a majority vote in June, and four months later the Senate prepares to vote.

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger called on the Senate to pass her legislation as Virginians and Americans continue to struggle with rising food and gas prices.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the inflation rate was 8.3 percent from August 2021 to August 2022, yet food prices have increased at a rate faster than inflation. According to a press release, grocery store food prices are up 13.5 percent on average from this time last year.

Spanberger’s legislation would lower costs at grocery stores, reduce gas prices at pumps, strengthen the food supply chain and increase competition in the American meat industry. Spanberger’s Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act and Butcher Block Act is included in the legislation to help tackle anticompetitive practices and increase fairness in the American meat and poultry industry. The U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee voted in June to advance the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act to the U.S. Senate floor.

Spanberger’s letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell calls on the leaders to help bring down the high prices facing Americans by moving her legislation to the U.S. Senate floor.

“My bipartisan Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act would take several steps to address the root causes of inflation across our agriculture, livestock and energy sectors,” Spanberger wrote. “As such, I urge the Senate to bring this legislation for a vote as soon as possible so it can be signed into law and begin lowering costs for Americans. Due to rising food costs, all Americans are making hard choices at the grocery store to feed their families while also keeping their grocery bills affordable.”

Spanberger said legislators “must address rising food and fuel costs with a strong sense of urgency. Though there is no silver bullet for inflation, the Senate must swiftly pass this bipartisan legislation to take meaningful steps to reduce costs for Americans.”