Durbin Slams Republicans For Failing To Address Affordability Concerns As Americans Are Paying Sky-High Prices For Gas, Groceries, & Health Care

Durbin Slams Republicans For Failing To Address Affordability Concerns As Americans Are Paying Sky-High Prices For Gas, Groceries, & Health Care

Durbin: "American families are struggling. They don't believe that Trump's policies have given them any relief from what they face on a day-to-day basis."

WASHINGTON - During a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) slammed congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration for failing to help struggling Americans with the rising cost of gas, groceries, housing, and health care. Instead, the President and congressional Republicans are pursuing policies-like tariffs, cuts to Medicaid, and a war of choice in Iran-that have caused the cost of living to skyrocket.

"American families are struggling. They don't believe that Trump's policies have given them any relief from what they face on a day-to-day basis. I wonder when the last time was that members of the Senate filled up a tank of gasoline in their home states and realized the dramatic increase in costs is a real hardship, especially on working families in lower to middle-income jobs. They're struggling to get by from paycheck to paycheck, and now they have gasoline bills that they never anticipated. There's no end in sight," Durbin began. "The same thing is true when it comes to utility bills. In my state, utility bills are up 15 percent this year over last year."

"How about the price of groceries? The tariff policies of this Administration…hurt their [farmers'] ability to compete in the world market. That's why the President recently went to the Midwest, in hopes of salvaging his reputation with farmers in rural communities," Durbin said.

Durbin then denounced Republicans' support for the President's so-called 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' which cut more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act over the next ten years-and ended the enhanced premium tax credits that helped millions of Americans afford their health insurance premiums-threatening health care coverage for millions of Americans while billionaires were delivered a hefty tax cut.

"The 'Big, Beautiful' Trump budget bill also made dramatic changes when it came to the cost of health care for American citizens. The idea of cutting $1 trillion out of the Medicaid program over the next several years is not only going to create a hardship on people with illness, but it's also going to create a hardship on providers. Already in my state, many rural hospitals and inner-city hospitals struggle to keep their doors open. The notion of these cutbacks in Medicaid means not only fewer treatments for those who are sick and in need of medical care, but it also means when it comes to these hospitals and clinics that are really a life-and-death proposition, their survival is in doubt," Durbin said.

"Talking about the future for American families, the future starts with quality health care that you can afford. Do you recall when the Republicans, in their 'Big, Beautiful' budget bill decided they were going to cut back the tax benefits for people to help pay for their health insurance premiums? How can that be of any lasting positive value for families across America?" Durbin continued.

Durbin called out congressional Republicans for pushing tax policies that do not help American families while they struggle to make ends meet.

"I think coming to the floor and talking about tax policies in decades to come is interesting and worthy to note, but it certainly doesn't address the reality of what American families are facing in Illinois, Wyoming, and across the United States. That's the reality," Durbin concluded his remarks.

Video of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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