March 8, 2024
Dear Friends,
In recent years, inflation and the rising cost of living have weighed heavily on millions of Americans struggling to afford groceries, rent, home energy bills, and other necessities. During his campaign for a second term, President Trump repeatedly claimed to share those concerns — promising that his top priority in office would be addressing inflation and lowering costs for American families. This week, as he addressed a joint session of Congress for the first time in his new term, Trump had a golden opportunity to lay out a concrete vision for easing the burden on working families.
Instead, he squandered that opportunity. Rather than presenting real solutions, Trump used his rambling speech to lavish praise on billionaire allies like Elon Musk while patting himself on the back for dismantling federal programs that serve American families every day. Six weeks into this new administration, Trump has not only failed to deliver any meaningful action to lower costs — he is actively pursuing policies that will raise prices for all but the wealthiest Americans.
The day before his address to Congress, Trump announced sweeping 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada — two of our closest allies and most important trading partners. No amount of spin, delusion, or creative accounting can disguise the fact that this is nothing more than a massive sales tax on American families. At a time when so many Americans are struggling to afford housing or put food on the table, Trump’s trade war threatened a massive spike in the price of cars, fruits and vegetables, lumber for new homes, and so much more. Overall, economists estimate these tariffs would cost the average family up to $2,000 each year.
Just one day after they were implemented, Trump temporarily walked back tariffs on a number of goods from Mexico and Canada, and his administration is attempting to carve out special exemptions for their favored industries. But the damage is done.
Trump’s reckless approach has thrown our economy into chaos, and everyday consumers are already feeling the impact. In just six weeks, the outlook for economic growth has plummeted from +3.9% to -2.8%. Consumer sentiment plunged by 10% in February alone, with nearly half of consumers citing tariffs as the cause of their concern. Egg prices are up 32% since Trump took office, and gas prices in regions near the Canadian border — including Upstate New York — are expected to rise by up to 40 cents per gallon thanks to Trump’s tariffs. The Wall Street Journal summed it up best: “The Dumbest Trade War in History.”
The President’s tariffs would be destructive enough on their own. But Trump isn’t just driving up prices for American families — he’s also working to undo years of progress in bringing good-paying jobs and cutting-edge manufacturing to our communities. During his speech on Tuesday, Trump called for the repeal of the CHIPS and Science Act — a law that has played a pivotal role in revitalizing the American semiconductor industry. Passed with bipartisan support, this legislation is already delivering billions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs to our Capital Region and to communities across the nation.
Scrapping the CHIPS Act would be a massive mistake — jeopardizing jobs, imperiling investments, and ceding control of the global semiconductor industry to China. Last year, when Speaker Johnson suggested repealing this landmark law during a campaign appearance in Syracuse, he was quickly forced to backtrack after facing strong backlash from both Democrats and Republicans. I fought hard to secure these critical investments for our region, and I won’t let Donald Trump throw them away.
Millions of Americans trusted President Trump’s promises to rein in inflation and address the cost-of-living crisis facing so many families across the nation. But instead of delivering on those promises, he wasted no time turning his back on the very people who were counting on him. The President has made his economic message clear: while billionaires get massive tax breaks, everyday Americans get stuck with higher prices, fewer jobs, and depleted savings. My Democratic colleagues and I will always keep fighting to lower costs and build an economy that works for everyone — because every family deserves a fair shot at the American dream.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- As Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their GOP allies continue their efforts to slash the essential services that the American people rely on, I want to hear directly from you about how these cuts will impact you and your family — and I want to let you know how I’m fighting back.
- That’s why I’m inviting you and your loved ones to join me for a Town Hall meeting on Monday, March 17th at the Schenectady High School Auditorium, located at 1445 The Plaza, Schenectady, NY 12308.
- Doors will open at 5:15 PM and the event will begin at 6:00 PM.
- Pre-registration is required for all attendees to enter the venue.
- Spaces are limited, so please reserve your spot today by clicking HERE.
- If you are unable to attend the event in person, you can view the event in full via the live stream on my YouTube channel.
- If you have any questions or need assistance with any federal agencies, policies, or services, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.
