WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) issued the following statement on the newly released January Consumer Price Index.

“When Joe Biden took office in January of 2021, inflation in America was just 1.4 percent. Today’s newly released January 2023 Consumer Price Index lists inflation in America at 6.4 percent, exceeding the expectations of economists. Core consumer prices also rose 5.6 percent while real average hourly earnings fell 1.8 percent, meaning for the 22nd month in a row, inflation has outpaced wages.

“This disappointing report is unfortunately nothing new. Over the past two years, President Biden and House Democrats recklessly spent trillions of dollars that we didn’t have, causing the affordability crisis in which we currently find ourselves. To fight back and rectify the economic misdeeds of the Biden administration, we must increase our domestic energy production to lower electricity bills, work to lower food prices, and control federal spending in Washington. Bringing down inflation will not be easy, but I am committed to working on behalf of the people of Southwest Florida to make our collective goal of affordability a reality once more.”