CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN INTRODUCES AFFORDABILITY AGENDA TO LOWER COSTS

Congressman Pat Ryan Introduces Affordability Agenda to Lower Costs

For first legislation of 119th Congress, Congressman Ryan’s Affordability Agenda includes landmark legislation to lower the costs of groceries, prescription drugs, housing, and protect Social Security.

KINGSTON, NY  –  Today Congressman Pat Ryan introduced his first legislation of the 119th Congress, his Affordability Agenda. The package includes landmark legislation to lower costs across the board for Hudson Valley families, with specific focuses on groceries, prescription drugs, housing, and Social Security.   

“The financial pressure folks are feeling right now is intense, and it’s across the board –  we need an all-of-the-above strategy to bring costs down for Hudson Valley families. That’s exactly why I’m proposing my comprehensive affordability agenda,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Groceries, housing, prescription drugs, Social Security – we need to tackle each and every one of these issues head-on. It may be a new Congress, but the goal remains the same: lowering costs, wherever and whenever possible.”  

Lowering Grocery Costs

Congressman Ryan’s bipartisan Lower Grocery Prices Act aims to remedy the issue of grocery affordability, and hold exploitative corporations accountable. The bill 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.

"I'm proud to partner with Congressman Ryan on this common sense, bipartisan bill aimed at helping middle and working-class New Yorkers,” said Congressman Mike Lawler. “We need to be laser-focused on getting grocery prices down, reducing the cost of living, and making things a little easier for all residents of New York State. That will continue to be my focus in Congress." 

In March of last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report 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. 

Stopping Pharma’s Ripoffs 

Congressman Ryan’s Stopping Pharma’s Ripoffs and Drug Savings For All Act would rein in Big Pharma’s current abuse of U.S. patent law, and make it easier to produce less-costly generic drug alternatives. 

“I’ve had Type 1 diabetes since I was 12 years old. I’ve had to rely on insulin and medical necessities on a daily basis to keep me healthy. I loathe the fact that kids like me, that already have so much on their plate, also have stress about affording insulin” said JT Crawford, a 16 year-old NY-18 resident and Type 1 Diabetes Advocate. “Thank you to Congressman Ryan for listening to my story and fighting alongside kids like me across the Hudson Valley.”

Throughout his time in office, Congressman Ryan has taken numerous actions to improve the health and safety and lower health care costs for residents of the Hudson Valley. He supports landmark legislation which has already lowered the prices of ten of the most common high-cost pharmaceuticals, fought to lower premiums for 20 million Americans receiving healthcare through the Affordable Care Act, and secured more than $2 million to expand services at Sun River Health in Beacon. 

Bold Housing Agenda

Congressman Ryan’s housing agenda includes four bills to address the housing crisis and lower housing costs for Hudson Valley families:

• The Working Families Housing Tax Credit Act incentivizes developers to build more equitable housing by authorizing below market rate loans and creating a new tax credit for developers building affordable housing utilizing union labor. 
• The PRO Housing Act provides funding for municipalities to convert or rehab existing housing, commercial spaces, and industrial centers in addition to “from scratch” developments. There will also be an emphasis placed on building near transit centers, and the establishment of a pilot program for the General Services Administration (GSA) to transfer unused federal land for development; thus eliminating government waste and increasing housing options. 
• The Deliver Housing Now Act cuts through the bureaucratic red tape to allow municipalities to use federal dollars according to local priorities. If passed it would allow municipalities to utilize federal dollars in whichever category of housing is most impactful to the people they serve. 
• The Mortgage Rate Reduction Act simplifies the federal loan assumption process, so that more than 11.3 million houses financed at lower interest rates through VA, USDA, or FHA loans are available to home-buyers. 

“RUPCO applauds Congressman Pat Ryan's commitment to addressing the critical housing needs in our community through his new housing agenda,” said RUPCO CEO Kevin O’Connor. “The proposed legislation, particularly the Working Families Housing Tax Credit Act and the PRO Housing Act , will have a profound impact on ensuring that hardworking families in the Hudson Valley have access to affordable, quality housing. By incentivizing developers and cutting through zoning red tape, these initiatives pave the way for innovative housing solutions that are desperately needed in both urban and rural areas. We are excited to continue our work alongside Congressman Ryan to make housing more accessible and equitable for all.”

Protecting Social Security

Congressman Ryan’s Protecting Social Security Act continues his fight to protect Hudson Valley seniors and safeguard their earned benefits. He has consistently voted against far-right attempts to cut benefits, and has vowed to protect the sacred promise of Social Security. This legislation will ensure that Social Security benefits cannot be cut, that seniors and families will continue to receive the benefits they are owed, and that every county in NY-18 has a Social Security office to serve the community. 

“I’m currently preparing to retire and my Social Security will play a crucial part in supporting my wife and I through retirement,” said Highland Falls veteran Keith Proctor. “ I have done my share - contributing to Social Security for nearly 50 years with hard work, including serving in the military and deploying to Iraq in 2003,  to support myself, my family, my community, and my country. My grandparents lived solely on their monthly Social Security check in their retirement.  Unfortunately, those days are way gone, but I could not even imagine what I would do if I were to lose it altogether. That’s why I get so frustrated and disillusioned when I hear the discussions in Congress about cutting or even eliminating this necessary program. I am very comforted knowing that Congressman Ryan is going to bat for my entire family and I.  My three daughters recently started their careers and are contributing to their retirements at this moment.  I want this benefit to continue for their sake as much as mine.  Thank you, Congressman Ryan for representing and protecting our benefits and rights and introducing the Protecting Social Security Act.”

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