July 19, 2023

RANKING MEMBER CORREA APPLAUDS BIDEN ADMIN. EFFORTS TO LOWER FOOD COSTS, CRACK DOWN ON RENTAL JUNK FEES, MAKE MERGER GUIDELINES MORE ACCESSIBLE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member Lou Correa (CA-46), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust, released the following statement applauding the Biden-Harris Administration’s recently announced actions to lower costs for hard-working American taxpayers: 

"Although the U.S. has the highest post-pandemic growth of any nation in the G7 and the lowest inflation, with a historic low unemployment of 3.7 percent, consumers are still facing rises in grocery store prices, struggle with food deserts, and lack easy access to the nutrition they need,” Ranking Member Correa said. “Americans also struggle to afford rental housing and businesses desire clarity in understanding how potential mergers will be examined—and I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s actions today to keep costs low and keep the American Dream alive. In my leadership roles on the Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition in the 21st Century and my role as ranking member on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, I will continue to advocate for everyday Americans who are working hard to feed and support their families and work with the government to ensure they are protecting and serving the public."

BACKGROUND: Today, the USDA announced a historic partnership between the federal government and state attorneys general to crack down on price gouging, ensuring that consumer food prices lower and farmers get a fairer share.  The nation's antitrust enforcers, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, also published their first update of the merger guidelines in 13 years, to provide the public with more clarity as to how mergers will be reviewed and ensure that the enforcers' work is accessible to the public. To update these guidelines, the DOJ and FTC looked to the statutes Congress has entrusted them to execute. Additionally, the White House Competition Council will be focusing on rental junk fees that make housing for Americans more expensive and harder to access.

You can find more information about today’s announcement HERE.

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