“The cost of inflation is high – and we can’t afford leaders who refuse to do anything about it.”

Today, more than 100 parents across North Carolina sent a letter to Congressman Budd slamming his failed record on the economy and refusal to combat inflation. The letter highlights his record of voting against lowering costs for families and in favor of corporate special interests who are jacking up prices. 

“From working to pad the pockets of Big Pharma while families struggle with skyrocketing prescription drug costs to protecting oil companies’ bottom lines while families pay the price at the pump, Congressman Budd has not been on the side of families,” said NCDP spokesperson Kate Frauenfelder. “North Carolina parents are letting him know today that they will not be voting for him because we can’t afford to have a Senator who votes against tackling inflation to help his corporate donors.” 

Read the full letter here and below: 

Dear Congressman Budd, 

As parents across North Carolina, we are doing our best to take care of our families, juggling jobs, taking our kids to school and daycare, going grocery shopping, getting on time to sports practice and dance class – you name it – all while dealing with the stress that comes with how we’re going to pay for it all. 

We’re making calculations every day about what’s best for our family, deciding what we can afford, and balancing our household budget to make ends meet. But recent trips to the grocery store, the gas station, and the pharmacy have made those decisions a lot harder. Rising prices have stretched our budgets thin.

You talk a lot about inflation a lot on the campaign trail, but your actions show us otherwise.

That’s why we’re writing today to express our extreme disappointment in your time as a Congressman and share with North Carolina parents and families across the state that you do not deserve their vote. 

The cost of inflation is high – and we can’t afford leaders who refuse to do anything about it. We know that the COVID-19 pandemic put a huge strain on the economy as businesses were forced to shut down and supply chains were in crisis. But now, as the economy rebounds and folks are getting back to work, corporations continue to price gouge families like ours and hike the price of groceries, gas, and more. As parents, we’re outraged that you’ve made it easier for corporations to further line their pockets while working families pay the price. 

In Congress, you took money from an oil company’s political action committee then voted against lowering the cost of gas the very next day. You voted against lowering the cost of prescription drugs and capping insulin at $35 a month, while taking money from pharmaceutical companies that are already making record profits. While parents of newborns and infants scrambled to feed their kids, you voted against legislation that would send $28 million in aid to the Food and Drug Administration to provide relief to parents dealing with an extreme shortage of baby formula. As we faced sticker shock down the grocery aisles, you voted against legislation that would work to increase competition in the meat and poultry sector and alleviate supply chain bottlenecks that would help lower the cost of food.

As parents, we all remember the moment that the “no” phase started and our kids found great joy in their newfound independence and power. Respectfully, your record in Congress makes us unsure you’ve ever grown out of that. 

Your actions prove that you are not up for the job of U.S. Senator – especially in a time where parents and families need solutions to the pressures inflation is putting on our wallets each and every day. The next U.S. Senator for North Carolina needs to be focused on finding solutions – not more problems. 

The upcoming election on November 8th has both consequences and opportunities for North Carolina’s families. There is no time to waste to elect leaders who will put more money in the pockets of hard-working families trying to live the American Dream – and your time is up.