Democrats target Big Ag over groceries
Senate Dems will roll out legislation to curb Big Ag consolidation that they say is driving up costs, as they argue Trump is spending billions on the Iran war while families struggle at home.
Today in Congress
Senate Democrats will sharpen their focus on the cost of living today by zeroing in on one of the most visible pressure points for American households: grocery prices.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) plans to introduce legislation to curb consolidation and monopoly power in the food industry, arguing that dominant agricultural go-betweens and processors are squeezing farmers while driving up costs for consumers at checkout.
The proposal comes as food prices remain stubbornly high even as overall inflation has cooled, with staples such as beef, eggs and orange juice continuing to climb. Democrats say consolidation across meatpacking, grain trading and food distribution has allowed a handful of companies to exert outsized control over supply chains, enabling price hikes that ripple through grocery stores nationwide.
Schumer will pitch the legislation as part of a broader Democratic push to address what they call the affordability crisis. At a National Press Club event this morning, he will appear alongside Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), as well as farmers, antitrust experts and food advocates pressing for tougher oversight of what they describe as Big Ag abuses. The event underscores a broader Democratic messaging push that ties kitchen-table concerns—housing, energy, childcare, and health care—to criticism of President Donald Trump’s economic stewardship.
Democrats are also accusing Trump of prioritizing an expensive military campaign against Iran—an operation they say is costing billions of taxpayer dollars—while Americans remain financially stretched at home. They argue that despite Trump’s pledge to lower prices, many families are still struggling to keep up with everyday expenses.
Happenings
All times Eastern.
The House is in at 10 a.m. and will vote at 4 p.m. on the DHS funding bill, the Khanna-Massie Iran War Powers Resolution and a Republican resolution reaffirming Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism.
The Senate is in at 10 a.m. and will vote at 1:45 p.m. to advance the DHS funding bill. It is expected to fail.
The House Judiciary Committee will mark up the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act at 9 a.m.
The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing at 9:30 a.m. on the American small drone industrial base.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. with the inspectors general of the Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on U.S. defense strategy and posture. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby will testify.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on advancing national security through public diplomacy. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers will testify.
The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on fighting fraud in financial institutions.
The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare will hold a hearing on reclaiming fraudulent pandemic unemployment funds frozen by banks.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on improving patient outcomes through next-generation care.
Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. to kick off the National Parks Cultural Resource Coalition.
Reps. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) will hold a press conference on the HEALTHY BRAINS Act.
President Trump will participate in executive time at 8 a.m., receive his intelligence briefing at 11 a.m., host a visit from the 2025 Major League Soccer champion Inter Miami CF at 4 p.m., and attend a policy meeting at 5:30 p.m.
In the Know
— The House Oversight Committee voted 24–19 to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and the release of related files. Five Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the motion, reflecting bipartisan frustration with delays and redactions in the document rollout required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
— Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Summer Lee (D-Pa.) introduced the Better Labor Statistics Act to require the Bureau of Labor Statistics to continue publishing the monthly jobs report and detailed unemployment data, including breakdowns by race, gender and industry. The bill comes as Pressley warns that Black women’s unemployment is rising and argues the Trump administration has threatened the transparency and independence of federal labor data.
— Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the bipartisan AI Fraud Accountability Act, which would create a new federal offense for using AI-generated voice or video impersonations to scam people out of money or valuables. The bill would also empower the Federal Trade Commission to pursue civil enforcement against digital impersonation fraud and direct federal agencies to coordinate on best practices to combat the growing wave of AI-enabled scams.
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