For too long, Washington special interests and big corporations have shaped the policies that impact hardworking Americans. That’s why, as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, my number one priority is ensuring the working class has a seat at the table when it comes to crafting policies and legislation that impact just about every aspect of their lives. As part of my commitment to putting workers first, the Ways and Means Committee held its first hearing of the new Republican Majority at a lumber company in Petersburg, W. Va., a small town that’s more than a hundred miles away from the marble halls of Congress.
At the hearing, workers and small business owners described the state of the economy in Appalachia – a region of the country with many similarities to the Ozark foothills. The hearing was crystal-clear proof of just how difficult life is for working-class Americans after two years of one-party Democrat rule in Washington. Among the top challenges facing small business owners, families, and farmers is the sky-high cost of everyday goods, which have risen 14.4% since President Joe Biden took office and began his $10 trillion wasteful spending spree.
Ashley Bachman, a mom of three and local restaurant owner, described the difficulty of running a business in Biden’s economy. “Our little restaurant has been bleeding money due to all the increased costs and I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to continue with the prices the way they are,” she testified.
Between inflation, the cost of propane doubling since 2020, and rent increasing 125% over the past 5 years, she’s worried that her restaurant – a local favorite – will have to close its doors for good.It’s no secret that energy costs are among the most painful parts of this economic crisis for families. “I watched the small towns of my home state fall on incredibly hard times all because of anti-coal policies that were being pushed in Washington, D.C., by people who had never even been to the place where I grew up,” said Jamie Ward, a 30-year coal industry worker, in his testimony before the committee.