Washington, D.C.—Today, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that prices measured by the Consumer Price Index increased 0.4% in September compared with the 0.6% increase in August and the 0.2% increase in June and July. Data also show that annual prices grew only 3.7%, down sharply from the peak rate of 9.1% last June.
“Today’s data show that while inflation came down last month compared to August, American families continue to feel the strain of higher prices. Even as the price tags have fallen on some items, it’s not enough for too many who are struggling to make ends meet.
“We’ve made a lot of progress, but we know there’s still more to be done. We’ll keep working to pass policies that lessen the burden of child care costs, and that allow families to eat healthy food and visit the doctor regularly without worrying about how they’re going to afford it. And we’ll keep working to create new jobs that allow people to raise families and retire with security here in New Mexico and across the country.”
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About Chairman Martin Heinrich
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich has served the people of New Mexico in the United States Senate since 2012. In addition to his role as Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, Heinrich also serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and as a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, Heinrich served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, four years as an Albuquerque City Councilor, as New Mexico’s Natural Resources Trustee, and in AmeriCorps with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
About the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee
The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee is Congress’s bicameral economic think tank. It was created when Congress passed the Employment Act of 1946. Under this Act, Congress established two advisory panels: the President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) and the JEC. Their primary tasks are to review economic conditions and to recommend improvements in economic policy. Chairmanship of the JEC alternates between the Senate and House every Congress.??
