February 11, 2026

New Dems Unveil Affordability Agenda, the Coalition’s Answer to the Cost of Living Crisis

Renewing the promise of affordability to every American, not just to get by, but to get ahead.

Today, the New Democrat Coalition unveiled its Affordability Agenda, a policy roadmap to help make life more affordable across the country by focusing on lowering five core costs for hardworking Americans: 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 Congressional Republicans have failed. Instead, their billionaire-first agenda makes life more expensive across the board for hardworking Americans. With the Affordability Agenda, New Dems are offering a better path to lower everyday costs in the short- and long-term by rolling back harmful policies pushed by Republicans in Washington, promoting competition and supporting small businesses to boost consumer choice, and breaking down regulatory barriers across the government that prevent us from meeting the needs of the American people.

The Affordability Agenda is the New Dems’ answer to cost of living crisis, a set of workable, commonsense policies crafted by the New Dem Economic Growth and Cost of Living Working Group, led by Chair Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) alongside Taxes Task Force Chair Steven Horsford (NV-04), Care Economy Task Force Chair Sarah McBride (DE-AL), and Trade & Tariffs Task Force Chair Don Beyer (VA-08).

“People all across my community tell me every day how hard it’s become to afford the basics — groceries, rent, health care, and utilities. Despite big promises to lower costs, the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans have failed to act while families fall further behind," said Working Group Chair Chrissy Houlahan. "New Dems built the Affordability Agenda to change that — it is a practical roadmap to lower everyday costs and deliver relief quickly and meaningfully. I’m proud to lead this effort and stand with my colleagues to put affordability back within reach for American families.”

"Our affordability agenda takes on each of the challenges keeping people up at night,” said Vice Chair Nikki Budzinski. “We’ll lower grocery prices by taking on Trump’s tariff policies that drive up costs and supporting more competition, less consolidation in the grocery industry. We'll cut red tape and modernize permitting to build four million new homes over the next decade, and we'll finally create a national paid family and medical leave program. On health care, we won’t just extend ACA tax credits — we’re going to protect patients from surprise medical bills and stop aggressive medical debt collection. These are common-sense steps we can take now to deliver real relief for Americans."

“New Dems have always fought for economic growth and opportunity to enable hardworking Americans not to just get by, but to get ahead,” said New Dem Chair Brad Schneider. “That’s why we’re now taking on the cost-of-living crisis to make it easier for people to afford their home, feed their family, pay for healthcare, and still have enough money left to take a vacation and save for the future. Our Affordability Agenda represents bold policy ideas from some of the brightest minds in Congress, and a path forward for lawmakers to empower everyday people to reach their full economic potential.”

Policy leaders from across the Coalition, including Vice Chair for Policy Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Health Care Working Group Chair Terri Sewell (AL-07), Housing Task Force Chair Emilia Sykes (OH-13), and Environment, Climate, & Clean Energy Working Group Chair Scott Peters (CA-50), and Freshman Leadership Representative Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) also contributed to the agenda.

“Across the country, hardworking people are cracking under the pressure of rising rent and home prices, and for far too many Americans, owning a home feels like a pipe dream – not the American Dream,” said Housing Task Force Chair Emilia Sykes. “New Dems know that we can’t truly lower the cost of living if we don’t quickly make housing more affordable and accessible to current and future generations. That’s why the Affordability Agenda takes decisive steps to bring down costs, incentivizing affordable housing and clearing a path to eliminate our housing shortage by building four million homes in the next decade. Together, we can deliver the lower prices the American people deserve.”

“Affordability is about dignity — the dignity of knowing that if you work hard, you can care for your family and build a stable life,” said Care Economy Task Force Chair Sarah McBride. "This Affordability Agenda is a clear, practical roadmap to lower the everyday costs squeezing families, from health care and housing to energy and child care. It’s focused on real solutions that cut through gridlock and deliver relief people can actually feel.”

“President Trump promised to lower costs on day one. But over a year later, he hasn’t lifted a finger to make good on that promise,” said Environment, Climate, & Clean Energy Working Group Chair Scott Peters. “San Diegans and families across the country are struggling to afford the basics, from housing and electric bills to child care and groceries. It’s time for Congress to stop waiting and start delivering real cost-cutting solutions for American families. New Dems are stepping up to the plate with serious proposals on how we’ll actually lower costs across the board and make life easier for hardworking Americans.“

“Despite President Trump’s promise to lower costs on day one, prices are skyrocketing, health care is being slashed, and the people I represent are struggling to make ends meet,” said Health Care Working Group Chair Terri Sewell. “Today, New Dems are taking action to change that. Our Affordability Agenda is a commonsense framework that will lower the cost of health care, housing, groceries, and utilities, putting money back into the pockets of everyday Americans.”

“For far too long, Michigan families have been crushed by rising costs and stagnant wages. I came to Congress ready to fix it, but for the past year, MAGA’s reckless policies have made things much worse — tariffs are making everything more expensive, and the Big Beautiful Bill ripped health care and food away from working families to give tax breaks to the wealthy and well-connected. All the while, working people are hurting and demanding action,” said Freshman Leadership Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet. “Our Affordability Agenda is a set of ready-to-go solutions to take on special interests and bring down costs — ideas like stopping Wall Street from buying up homes and farms, cutting taxes for working parents instead of billionaires, and letting Medicare negotiate drug prices to keep your medicine costs down. It’s time to stop with the chaos and get real stuff done for people who are working way too hard and still struggling to get by.”

New Dems believe affordability is a core component of the government’s promise to the American people: if you work hard in this country, you should be able to provide a safe and comfortable life for yourself and your family. This Agenda aims to renew the promise of affordability and put the American Dream back within reach for every American.

The Affordability Agenda lays out the New Dems’ next steps for advancing these commonsense policies, including continuing to engage with our House and Senate colleagues to enact meaningful legislation and urging the White House to repeal harmful policies that have led to higher prices. New Dems believe this agenda can break through gridlock to enact real change, an approach that is backed up by support from influential, commonsense organizations:

“Families are feeling squeezed by the everyday cost of living, and it’s vital that lawmakers put affordability at the center of the agenda,” said Neera Tanden, President and CEO of the Center for American Progress. “The New Democrat Coalition’s focus on lowering costs reflects what working- and middle-class families are worried about. Common sense policies that will make life more affordable by boosting competition, expanding supply, and making essential services actually accessible are critical to building an economy that works better for more Americans.”

“The New Democrat Coalition is once again demonstrating real leadership by taking on the issue that matters most to voters: affordability,” said Gabe Horwitz, Senior Vice President for the Economic Program, Third Way. “At a time when families are feeling squeezed, this agenda lays out an expansive, serious plan to make the core building blocks of a middle-class life—from health care and housing to child care and education—more affordable. It’s exactly the kind of forward-looking approach the country needs, and we hope it earns broad support across Congress.”

“The path to affordability is building more. The New Democrats’ plan will lower costs by cutting red tape, constructing four million new homes, and building more energy of all kinds to keep electric bills down. This is how Democrats can deliver on cost of living,” said Adam Kovacevich, CEO, Chamber of Progress.

“Americans need to be able to afford the foundations of a good life – housing, food, health care, utilities, and child and elder care. With their Affordability Agenda, the New Democrat Coalition has put forward a smart, pragmatic plan to put those essentials within reach for working families,” said Derek Kaufman, President of Inclusive Abundance Action. “Especially in their housing and energy proposals, they recognize a truth that has traditionally gotten lost in policy debates: increasing supply is essential to actually lowering prices. We’re also encouraged to see New Dems affirm that to lower energy costs and accelerate clean energy investment, we need permitting reform that creates a fair playing field for all-the-above energy technologies. More Democrats should get on board with that kind of solutions-oriented thinking.”

"The New Dems' Affordability Agenda meets the moment in responding to the needs of hardworking Americans who have been left behind by the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress,” said NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan. “These proposals offer exactly the governing approach craved by NewDEAL state and local leaders as they urge lawmakers in Washington to make the cost of living a top priority through practical policies on issues like housing, energy, and child care. Our network is excited to continue to partner with New Dems on solving what Americans say are their most urgent challenges and on expanding economic opportunity across the country."

"The New Democrat Coalition’s agenda reflects a clear understanding that housing affordability depends on building more homes, faster and at scale," said Mike Kingsella, Chief Executive Officer of Up for Growth Action. "By cutting red tape, flexing existing federal resources to accelerate production and preservation, and investing in construction and financing innovation, this plan aligns federal policy with the realities of a nearly 4-million-home shortage and underscores the New Democrat Coalition’s role as a pragmatic governing coalition focused on solutions that can earn broad support."

“Paid family and medical leave helps Americans make ends meet when it matters most,” said Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “No one should have to miss a paycheck while welcoming a new child or facing a medical crisis. Paid leave lifts families by protecting vital economic support when they need it most – and it allows women and caregivers to keep their jobs and paychecks, helps businesses to retain valued employees and supports a stronger economy for everyday Americans. The New Democrat Coalition is right to include universal paid leave as a key part of their affordability framework that will lower costs for families.”

“The National Association of Home Builders commends the New Democrat Coalition for making housing affordability a top priority,” said Buddy Hughes, Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders. “The coalition’s housing affordability agenda seeks to cut red tape, expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and allow more accessory dwelling units. Enacting these policies will help builders to construct more attainable, affordable housing that our nation sorely needs.”

“Lowering the Trump tariffs is key to lowering the costs of groceries and household items being shouldered by American consumers, farmers, and businesses,” said Dr. Orit Frenkel, CEO, American Leadership Initiative. “The New Democrats’ plan will lower costs for families and create stability by restoring Congress’ authority to oversee trade and set guardrails on Presidential overreach.”

Affordability Agenda Highlights

Groceries & Household Essentials

  • Restore certainty by rolling back Trump’s tariffs and advancing smarter, durable trade policies.
  • Support small producers and crack down on corporate bad actors to increase competition and lower prices 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 ACA tax credits and expanding access to prescription price caps.
  • Protect patients from surprise medical bills and aggressive debt collection.
  • Expand access to care by fully funding Medicaid and strengthening Medicare’s guaranteed benefits.
  • Increase competition and transparency while cracking down on fraud and abuse.

Housing

  • Cut red tape and update permitting and zoning to build four million homes in the next decade.
  • Convert vacant and underutilized properties into housing units.
  • 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 make it faster and cheaper to build energy transmission and generation infrastructure.
  • Ensure energy is available and abundant by establishing a level playing field for 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 and cooling to lower residential energy costs.

Families

  • Create a national paid family and medical leave program that covers all Americans.
  • Support working families with expanded access to tax cuts and universal pre-K.
  • 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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