AHEAD OF HOLIDAY SEASON, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN CONTINUES FIGHT TO PASS “LOWER GROCERY PRICES ACT,” ASKS HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY: “HOW ARE YOU BEING IMPACTED BY THE RISING COST OF GROCERIES?”

Ahead of Holiday Season, Congressman Pat Ryan Continues Fight to Pass “Lower Grocery Prices Act,” Asks Hudson Valley Community: “How Are You Being Impacted By the Rising Cost of Groceries?”

Congressman Ryan introduced the bipartisan “Lower Grocery Prices Act” as part of his Affordability Agenda – his first legislation of the 119th Congress; Ryan is releasing a survey, seeking constituent input on how high grocery costs are impacting Hudson Valley families this holiday season

Ryan’s bill requires government to develop solutions as part of comprehensive national plan to lower grocery prices, analyze trends in grocery costs over the past 20 years, 

As cost-raising tariffs continue to hurt American consumers and small business owners, and as families face uncertainty regarding the future of their SNAP benefits following the largest cut to the program in history, Ryan is asking the Hudson Valley community: “How Are You Being Impacted By the Soaring Cost of Groceries?”

According to new CBS polling, 65% of Americans now say Trump’s policies are making grocery prices go up.

WASHINGTON, DC  –  Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, as Hudson Valley families continue to face increasing food costs, Congressman Pat Ryan is continuing the push to pass his bipartisan “Lower Grocery Prices Act.” Ryan’s bill requires the government to analyze trends in grocery costs over the past 20 years, to develop solutions as part of a comprehensive national plan to lower grocery prices.

According to new CBS polling, 65% of Americans now say Trump’s policies are driving up grocery prices.

Today, Ryan released a survey asking the Hudson Valley community: “How are you being impacted by the rising cost of groceries?” Ryan will take the community responses back to Washington to inform and bolster his continuing fight to pass the “Lower Grocery Prices Act” and bring down costs for Hudson Valley families. Especially as cost-raising tariffs continue to hurt American consumers and small business owners, and as families face uncertainty regarding the future of their SNAP benefits following the largest cut to the program in history, Ryan wants to hear from the Hudson Valley community. 

Community members can take Congressman Ryan’s survey on grocery costs here. 

“Hudson Valley families have to spend way too much of their precious income just to put food on the table. Ahead of the holiday season, the only thing hardworking Americans should be focused on is making memories with their families – not worrying about the bills stacking up as they prepare their Thanksgiving meals. So, to our Hudson Valley community, families, and small business owners: I want to hear from you,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Your input has always been the main driver behind everything I do – from cutting through red tape to lower egg prices, to fighting for small businesses in Washington against Trump’s tariff-induced trade war, to introducing the bipartisan “Lower Grocery Prices Act,” I take your concerns to heart and put them into action. The President promised to lower costs on Day 1 – but as he continues to slash food assistance, blow taxpayer dollars on foreign bailouts, and impose tariffs that are crushing our local economies, our community deserves the relief we were promised. I’ll keep pushing relentlessly to ease the burden on hardworking Americans – and I thank you for your help in this fight.”

The community inquiry comes amidst a myriad of potential food-cost-raising policy moves by the President. Trump recently signed into law the largest cut to SNAP in history – slashing $187 billion from the program that helps feed 42 million Americans. Ryan was an early critic of Trump’s USDA’s slashing of funds for food banks as well. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) – which partners local farms with food banks to serve food insecure populations – has suffered a 50% cut, forcing the Hudson Valley branch of the Regional Food Bank to provide 2 million fewer meals than last year. Additionally, sweeping tariffs are jacking up prices across the board, and putting immense pressure on small business owners who have no choice but to pass the cost onto consumers. 

Based on community feedback, Ryan is already leading efforts to hold price gougers accountable, repeal Trump’s tariffs, and lower grocery costs. He introduced his Affordability Agenda as his first legislation of the 119th Congress, which, along with the “Lower Grocery Prices Act” includes bills to bring down drug costs, housing costs, and protect Social Security benefits. The full agenda can be found here. 

Congressman Ryan’s “Lower Grocery Prices Act” would require the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to analyze the price of groceries over the last 20 years, provide effective solutions on how to lower costs, and develop a national plan to combat the high prices and ease the affordability crisis. Ryan originally introduced the legislation after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report in March 2024 which detailed how large grocery companies exploited the high-price environment caused by the pandemic to jack up their prices and pad their profit margins, unfairly raising prices for consumers as well as snubbing smaller competitors’ profits. 

Additionally, after a diner owner from Fishkill told Ryan that he went from paying $45 for a single crate of eggs to $260 in only months, immediately took action. Ryan teamed up with Congressman Josh Riley to address concerns regarding the soaring egg prices, introducing “Lowering Egg Prices Act” to cut through bureaucratic red tape to lower costs for consumers and farmers alike. 

Most recently, throughout the summer months, Congressman Ryan held community meetings with Chambers of Commerce across Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties to discuss how Trump’s tariffs are harming local business owners and forcing them to raise prices. One small business owner told Ryan that small businesses are “at an enormous disadvantage when pricing of their premium products rises to meet the cost of the tariffs; a cost which will pass through to the American consumer and put small businesses on the line.” Ryan took action in Washington to limit the harmful impacts of the unprecedented tariffs, including joining an effort to terminate the national emergency that the president declared to institute the tariffs. Additionally, Ryan voted against an effort by House GOP leadership and Speaker Mike Johnson to cede their ability to regulate and challenge tariffs to the President – kneecapping Congress’s ability to stand up for their constituents being crushed by high prices.

Ryan constantly seeks community input and personal stories to strengthen his fight for the Hudson Valley in Washington. If you are worried about grocery prices ahead of this holiday season, please take Congressman Ryan’s survey. 

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