Scholten Showcases Top Legislation Endorsed by the Lowering Costs Caucus to Slash Costs for Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Amidst a growing affordability crisis, U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten, a founder of the Lowering Costs Caucus (LCC) in Congress, announced her end-of-year showcase of legislation to lower costs for American families. The highlighted LCC-endorsed legislation could help lower the cost of housing by tens of thousands of dollars per family; the cost of baby products by hundreds of dollars; the cost of health care by up to tens of thousands per person; and much more.
The LCC is a group of committed lawmakers in Congress committed to producing policy ideas that will tackle the affordability crisis head-on. Founded just this year, the group has already produced dozens of bills and ideas that would save Americans thousands of dollars each and every year. Members of the Lowering Costs Caucus can submit and vote to endorse legislation that would make a meaningful difference in cutting costs for everyday Americans. The caucus also reaches out to members who are not yet part of the caucus to submit their legislation for endorsement. The Lowering Costs Caucus then endorses bills that showcase some of the best solutions in Congress to the affordability crisis.
"From groceries to childcare to energy and healthcare, Americans are just paying too much. It doesn't have to be this way,” said Rep. Scholten. “There are easy policy solutions that will help us lower costs, if we're willing to put American families first. That's what the Lowering Cost Caucus is all about. I'm so proud of the work this caucus has done so far this year, and there's even more to come in 2026!”
“I hear from constituents in California every day that their costs are too high. Families in Orange and Los Angeles counties are seeing prices go up for everything from groceries to gas to day care. I was proud to join Rep. Scholten and Rep. Landsman as founding members of the Lowering Costs Caucus to shut out the politics-as-usual noise in Washington and focus on what we are actually hearing from families back home,” said Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45). “I’m looking forward to continuing to reach across the aisle in the new year to lower costs and make life affordable again for the American people.”
Housing
It’s no secret that owning a home — a core part of the American dream — is moving out of reach for many Americans. Americans without a strong credit history face an additional barrier in the form of sky-high interest rates, and one of the most common large payments they make — rent— is often not factored into their credit history.
The LCC endorsed theAccess to Homeownership Act, commonsense legislation that would allow renters to improve their credit score when they pay rent on time. It would factor on-time rent payments into a person’s credit history, helping them eventually get lower interest rates when they look to take out a loan to buy a home. Interest rates can drastically change the cost of a home; lower interest rates could save Americans buying a home up to tens thousands of dollars over the course of their mortgage.
Groceries
President Trump’s tariffs caused grocery prices to skyrocket this year. The LCC endorsed the No Tariff on Groceries Act to require that the President ask Congress permission to put Administration-proposed tariffs on food and to stipulate that tariffs cannot go into place without a subsequent act of Congress to approve them.
Child Care
American families are suffocating under the crushing costs of childcare. Congresswoman Scholten introduced LCC-endorsed legislation to slash those costs by two-thirds. Under her Tri-Share Child Care Act, the cost of child care would be shared between the caregiver, their employer, and the state and federal governments.
The Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Act of 2025 would allocate $250 million a year for three years to create a pilot Tri-Share program beginning the year after enactment of the legislation. Parents will be eligible if they:
Are employed by an employer participating in the program, with states responsible for coordinating and soliciting employer enrollment.
Make under 500% of the federal poverty level.
Have a child who is under the age of mandatory schooling.
Baby Products
According to a Joint Economic Committee report, the cost of five common items bought for new babies increased by 24 percent, or $98, in the period between April 1st – just before Trump announced major tariffs on nearly every country – and June 9th. The Committee estimated that new parents across the U.S. may have been forced to spend an additional $875 million in total on key baby goods in 2025. Michigan families alone may have been forced to spend an additional $24.6 million.
The Lowering Costs Caucus has endorsed legislation to get these costs back down for families.
The Baby Food Tax Relief Act would exempt essential baby feeding products, including formula, highchairs, and baby bottles from reckless tariff policies.
The Baby Safety Tax Relief Act would specifically exempt baby strollers, carriers, and car seats from tariffs.
This legislation would eliminate the extra costs on families caused by tariffs.
Health Care
An unexpected diagnosis or medical bill can be life changing.
The LCC-endorsed Health Care Affordability Act would make popular tax credits for people who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act more generous and available to more Americans. The Health Care Affordability Act was signed into law as a part of the American Rescue Plan and extended in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Prescription drugs and medical devices can also cost Americans thousands or more each year.
The LCC endorsed the bipartisan Fair Price Device Act to make it cheaper for generic versions of drug devices — things like epipens and insulin pumps — to get to market. Ultimately, that means lower prices for the people who rely on these lifesaving devices.
The LCC also endorsed the Making Insulin Affordable for All Children Act, which would ensure that insulin costs no more than $35 a month for anyone under the age of 26 covered by private insurance or Medicaid. For many, insulin is a substantial expense; this legislation would allow diabetes patients to put money currently being spent on insulin elsewhere.
Children and Families
The LCC-endorsedFAMILY Act would guarantee 12 weeks of paid leave for workers dealing with health conditions, including pregnancy and childbirth. It would also offer this leave to Americans who need to take time off work to care for a family member or welcome an adopted child home. It would help ensure that no American is forced to make the devastating choice between earning a paycheck to stay afloat and taking care of their health or their loved ones.
The LCC-endorsed American Family Act would permanently expand the Child Tax Credit. The Child Tax Credit was implemented as part of the American Rescue Plan; it cut child poverty by 30%, keeping 3.7 million kids out of poverty by making more parents eligible for the credit and helping them pay their bills every month.
Tax Reform That Works For All Americans
The LCC-endorsed American Affordability Act is tax legislation that offers a real plan to lower costs and expand economic security for working families.
Specifically, the bill:
Tackles the housing crisis by dramatically expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, creating new tools to convert vacant commercial buildings into affordable homes, supporting first-time homebuyers, and providing meaningful rent relief for families struggling to stay housed. These are real, scalable solutions to the shortage of housing in every state.
Lowers energy costs by restoring clean-energy incentives gutted by Republicans, expanding credits for energy efficiency, and investing in grid resilience and advanced manufacturing. The bill reduces utility bills, cuts carbon pollution, and boosts domestic jobs.
Makes child and family care more affordable by enhancing the Child Tax Credit, expanding the Child and Dependent Care Credit, supporting working caregivers, and ensuring adoption remains within reach for all families. These are investments proven to lift millions of children out of poverty.
Reduces education costs and supports workers by making higher education more affordable through a fully refundable American Opportunity Tax Credit. The bill also protects borrowers from hidden student-loan tax penalties and strengthens deductions for teachers, union members, and working-class employees.
Lowers health care costs by making premium assistance permanent and closing the Medicaid coverage gap.
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