Wasserman Schultz Unveils Affordability Agenda to Address the Cost of Living Crisis

Washington, February 11, 2026
"Life is simply too unaffordable, and the American dream is slipping further out of reach for far too many of our families,” said Wasserman Schultz. “South Florida families are desperate for real solutions. That’s what this Affordability Agenda offers. It’s a strategy to quickly lower the costs, from groceries and health care to housing and electric bills. It renews the promise of affordability and the American dream.”
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) joined with the New Democrat Coalition to release her Affordability Agenda, a policy roadmap to make life more affordable for South Florida by focusing on lowering the five core costs that are too high for hardworking people: health care, housing, energy, family care, and household essentials like groceries.

Despite promising to lower prices “on day one” and “end inflation,” President Trump and Republicans in Congress failed to lower the cost of living, while their billionaire-first agenda makes life more expensive across the board for hardworking Americans. With the Affordability Agenda, Wasserman Schultz offers a better path forward to lower everyday costs in the short- and long-term by rolling back harmful policies pushed by Republicans in Washington. This plan promotes competition and supports small businesses to boost consumer choice, and it breaks down regulatory barriers across the government to meet the needs of everyday Americans.

“Every day, residents I represent share how living costs are just too high and only get worse. More than 223,000 of them face skyrocketing health care coverage costs, with a family of four seeing annual premiums rising by 189 percent. And last year, 42,311 Floridians filed for bankruptcy, a 20 percent spike over last year. Life is simply too unaffordable, and the American dream is slipping further out of reach for far too many of our families,” said Wasserman Schultz. “South Florida families are desperate for real solutions. That’s what this Affordability Agenda offers. It’s a strategy to quickly lower the costs, from groceries and health care to housing and electric bills. It renews the promise of affordability and the American dream.”

The Affordability Agenda:

Groceries & Household Essentials

  • Roll back Trump’s tariffs and advance smarter, durable trade policies.
  • Support small family farms and crack down on price-gouging corporations to increase competition in the food marketplace.
  • Lower internet bills by restarting the Affordable Connectivity Program.
  • Increase the minimum wage and ensure workers have a seat at the table.

Health Care

  • Reduce monthly costs by extending the enhanced premium ACA tax credits and expanding prescription price caps.
  • Protect patients from surprise medical bills and aggressive debt collection.
  • Fully fund Medicaid and strengthen Medicare’s guaranteed benefits.
  • Crack down on fraud and abuse to increase competition and transparency.

Housing

  • Cut red tape and update permitting and zoning laws to build four million new homes in the next decade.
  • Eliminate unfair tax breaks to private equity and large investors.
  • Utilize innovative construction technologies to accelerate home production.
  • Build more affordable homes by increasing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allocations and community benefits.

Energy

  • Reform permitting rules to speed up energy transmission and infrastructure.
  • Ensure energy is available and abundant by encouraging all forms of energy.
  • Reallocate electric grid costs to protect consumers from price hikes due to manufacturing and data center development.
  • Invest in energy efficiency and home heating & cooling to lower residential energy costs.

Families

  • Create national paid family and medical leave program for all Americans.
  • Expanded tax cuts and universal pre-K access to support working families.
  • Leverage federal resources and foster public-private partnerships to enhance care options and paid leave access.
  • Invest in the home health and long-term care workforce to care for aging Americans.

You can read the full Affordability Agenda here.

 

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