U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand continued a statewide series of press conferences Monday focused on the rising cost of groceries and falling consumer confidence, a release from her office says. The tour included stops in Poughkeepsie and Rochester.
Gillibrand’s office cited a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report showing headline inflation at 4.2% year-over-year. The release noted sharper increases for specific grocery items, saying fruits and vegetables rose 6.1% while nonalcoholic beverages were up 5.8%.
“Donald Trump’s policies are making basic necessities unaffordable for hardworking New Yorkers,” Gillibrand said in the release. The senator blamed “ongoing war in Iran” and related federal policies for diverting attention and resources away from domestic cost pressures, and said she will continue to press for accountability and policies to ease costs for families.
The statement links the rise in grocery prices and lagging wage growth to weakening consumer confidence, and frames the tour as an effort to draw attention to the impact on working households. The announcement was issued Monday by Gillibrand’s Senate office.
