Press Release
ICYMI: Parents, Veterans, Creators, and Working Americans Call Out Republicans for Raising Prices in Key Districts as Midterms Near
10. 02. 2026
ESPA and 30+ co-sponsors led nationwide “The Price Is High” Week of Action connecting the dots between GOP’s agenda and the cost of living crisis
WASHINGTON, DC – From September 23-30th, Economic Security Project Action (ESPA) led a coordinated push across 20 competitive House districts and 2 Senate seats in 12 states nationwide to hold Republican members of Congress accountable for raising the price of basic needs and cutting support for working families. “The Price Is High” Week of Action featured 15 events, including a “tariff-proof grocery” cooking class in VA-02 hosted by our partner Freedom Virginia, a “Families Feel the Squeeze” lemonade stand tour in eastern Pennsylvania with Pennsylvanians Together in Action and MomsRising Together, and a rally about rising energy bills in NY-17. with New York Communities for Change. Community Change Action and National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) Action Fund joined as lead sponsors for the week. UnidosUS joined a coalition of partners on a lobby day to urge members of Congress to boost and expand the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax credits, two cash lifelines that help working Americans afford the basics.
Many Week of Action events centered ESPA’s Republican Receipts, a series of 23 graphics contrasting Republican lawmakers’ campaign promises to lower prices with their costly votes in Congress. In AZ-02, veterans called out Rep. Ciscomani for ripping SNAP benefits from over 437k Arizonans statewide and terminating Medicaid coverage for 31k Arizonans in his district at an event with Vets Forward. In VA-01, Freedom Virginia and constituents concerned about rising costs delivered a Receipt to Rep. Wittman’s office. In NJ-02 and NJ-07, New Jersey Citizen Action delivered the Receipts alongside postcards from constituents struggling with sky high gas prices to Reps. Van Drew and Kean. In Iowa, doctors and patients labeled Rep. Miller-Meeks a “healthcare hypocrite” at a rally decrying her vote to raise costs and terminate coverage. And in Alaska, creators shamed Sen. Sullivan for safety net cuts and failing to deliver affordable childcare. In October, ESPA will run digital ads spotlighting Valadao’s cost-raising voting record in CA-22, and partner with two content creators to elevate the Receipts to a national audience.
“Prices are high, wages are low, and we have the receipts to show exactly who’s responsible for driving up bills for working families,” said Kelli Smith, Vice President of Federal Strategy at Economic Security Project Action. “Families are fed up with paying more at the pump, in grocery aisles, at the doctor’s, and everywhere else. If Republicans in Congress aren’t going to help them, it’s time to elect leaders who will.”
During the Week of Action, NWLC Action Fund launched a website, “Robbing Us,” which outlines the types of policies the U.S. could afford if billionaires paid their fair share and highlights who is responsible for robbing food, healthcare and more from millions of families. NWLC Action Fund is running digital ads in MI–07, MI-10, PA-07, PA-08, and PA-10 underscoring how Republicans in Congress have robbed families of their basic needs, resulting in skyrocketing costs while the billionaire class gets richer. NWLC Action Fund is also partnering with five content creators across Michigan and Pennsylvania to reinforce that same message.
NWLC Action Fund’s sister organization, NWLC, released a public survey which found rising costs are leading many people to forgo essentials such as food, transportation, and healthcare. The survey also found little public support for several Trump administration policies affecting women and families.
“The Trump-Vance administration and Congressional Republicans robbed women and families of basic needs in order to give more tax breaks to billionaires,” said Amy Matsui, Vice President of child care and income security at the NWLC Action Fund. “Billionaires got a windfall, while women and children are losing food assistance and healthcare at the same time that the cost of living is skyrocketing. This is not just bad policy, it’s cruel. NWLC Action Fund will continue to call out those members of Congress who were responsible for ripping away essential supports from families, and work to ensure that the next Congress will do what is best for families, not their billionaire donors.”
Community Change Action and its sister organization Community Change have been hosting focus group conversations around the country talking to people about affordability issues and ideas for how to solve them. Across geographies, their top concerns were being squeezed on prices, wages, and benefits access. Participants also blamed corporate greed and wanted the government to take bold and swift action to address the cost of living crisis.
“Affordability isn’t some abstract concept, it determines whether a parent can take their kid to the doctor, a senior can pay their heating bill, or a young person can build a future with real opportunity. These day-to-day impossible decisions add up to a lifetime of struggle. For Black and brown people, especially women and kids, this economy is a disaster.” said Community Change Action Co-President Dorian Warren. “At every turn, Republicans have made the choice to protect the wealthy and leave the rest of us to pick up the bill. Here’s the thing — who makes these decisions isn’t abstract either, and voters have the chance to change them and hold them accountable to making a change.”