House committee to hold hearings on cause, impact of inflation

The House Majority Policy Committee plans to host four hearings this month to examine the cause and impact of inflation-induced cost increases.

The hearings will be held on June 8, 9, 14, and 21 in Harrisburg and streamed live. The topics are the causes of inflation, how policies have driven inflation to historic highs, the impact of inflation on working people and their families, and driving investment and creating growth.

“Whether it’s gasoline or groceries, utilities or other services, everything is going up in price while many of us are still struggling to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Committee Chairman Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter) said. “There is no question policies being implemented by Washington, D.C., Democrats and their allies in Pennsylvania are the driving forces behind inflation,” Causer said. “The goal of these hearings is to better understand the policies having the greatest impact, how working people and their families are dealing with inflation, and most importantly, what we can do to combat rising costs in the long term.”

Between April 2021 and April 2022, the inflation rate in Pennsylvania was 8.4 percent. Housing costs rose 7.9 percent, food prices 9.5 percent, vehicle costs more than 18 percent, transportation nearly 21 percent, energy prices nearly 33 percent, and gasoline more than 43 percent.