Republicans are delivering on affordability | Rep. Troy Downing

A little over one year ago, the American people gave Republicans in Congress and the White House a mandate: reverse course on four years of disastrous Biden Administration policy that had hollowed America into a shell of its former glory.

Ahead of President Trump’s State of the Union address, I’m pleased to report that we have not failed the American people. The border is secured, markets are surging, and the United States is once again respected by the rest of the world for its capacity to deliver peace through strength.

One area where Republicans are making incredible strides is our fight against the rising cost of living. We receive plenty of scrutiny, but the numbers don’t lie. The American people have never had a Congress or Administration that is more squarely focused on making life more affordable than now.

Month to month and year over year, real average hourly earnings are steadily increasing, revealing an economy that has bona fide wealth-building capacity. This phenomenon is brought on by cooling inflation which now sits at 2.4%, down more than 70% from its peak of 9% during the Biden Presidency.

We passed the most significant tax cuts in American history last year, creating long term certainty for families and businesses alike. The average Montana family of four will see savings of $1,280 and main street will benefit from a permanent increase in the small business deduction.

Family-owned farms, ranches, and businesses no longer have to worry about the death tax, and hardworking Montanans don’t have to pay tax on tips or overtime. These tax cuts are transformative. By the way, every Democrat in elected federal office voted against them.

Another front in the fight for affordability is the rising cost of homeownership. This year, House Republicans, led by me and fellow members of the House Financial Services Committee, passed the Housing for the 21st Century Act to bring the American dream closer to hand.

Our bill tackles the problem at its source: supply. By removing unnecessary regulatory barriers, modernizing federal programs, and enhancing community banking operations to expand lending for buyers and builders, this legislation will make it easier to construct and pay for the homes that will house the next generation.

We also got the government out of the way by cutting red tape. That means less burden on small businesses, cheaper energy, and a pro-growth economic environment that correlates positively with the amount of money in your wallet.

Congress has overturned 23 rules written by bureaucrats in Washington that stifled growth and hamstrung hardworking Americans. Included among these provisions is my first bill signed into law, H.J. Res. 104, which overturned an outright ban on coal leasing in the Powder River Basin. Rest assured, we’re just getting started.

Americans deserve so much more than they received under the Biden presidency. They had no champions in the White House or on Capitol Hill who were truly attuned to their needs and struggles. Instead, they had a leader who literally fell asleep at the wheel. Those days are over. Here’s to three more years of the Golden Age.