House Democrats urge Trump to combat egg price hike

Nearly 30 House Democrats are urging President Trump to combat the rising prices of eggs and argued that the executive actions he has taken since taking office have hindered the “government's response to effectively address the underlying causes of this crisis.”

“Eggs are a basic necessity for families in our districts, and the financial burden caused by these surging prices must be resolved,” wrote 28 House Democrats, all of whom are members of the Congressional Dads Caucus, in a Thursday letter to Trump that was shared with The Hill.

The letter was led by Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), the chair of the caucus.

Egg prices hit a record high last month. The price tag for a dozen grade A, large eggs was $4.95, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The previous high was in January 2023, when the same amount cost $4.82.

“This was the largest increase in the eggs index since June 2015 and it accounted for about two thirds of the total monthly food at home increase,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Wednesday.

One of the reasons why the price of eggs has gone up nationwide is due to the bird flu outbreak. When the virus is detected on farms, often all of the birds need to be killed to help contain the spread. Since those farms can have millions of birds, one infection can prompt a mass reduction in supply.

At least 100 million egg-laying hens have been killed since the outbreak started. Experts along with the Department of Agriculture predicted in January that the prices of eggs could go up by 20 percent in 2025. Another factor impacting the prices is that some states, including Washington and California, require eggs sold in stores to be from cage-free chickens, which therefore could limit supply.

Trump has raised the possibility of disbanding the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR), which under the Biden administration advised the president on “pandemic preparedness and response policy.” The president tapped Gerald Parker, an ex-top-ranking federal health official, to lead the office, CBS News reported, citing two officials.

Democrats in the letter expressed concern over the OPPR’s website not being operational and argued that Trump’s actions “are directly contributing to this affordability crisis facing American families.”

House lawmakers asked Trump in the letter to outline what the current administration is doing to stop the spread of the bird flu and “stabilize the egg supply.” They also asked the president to confirm that the OPPR’s functions will continue.

Besides Gomez, the letter was signed by Democratic Reps. Don Beyer (Va.), Joaquin Castro (Texas), Gil Cisneros (Calif.), Lou Correa (Calif.), Jason Crow (Colo.), Chris Deluzio (Pa.), Dan Goldman (N.Y.), Steven Horsford (Nev.), Mike Levin (Calif.), Ted Lieu (Calif.), Seth Magaziner (R.I.), Morgan McGarvey (Ky.), Rob Menendez (N.J.), Dave Min (Calif.), Seth Moulton (Mass.), Johnny Olszewski (Md.), Jimmy Panetta (Calif.), Brittany Pettersen (Colo.), Raul Ruiz (Calif.), Suhas Subramanyam (Va.), Eric Swalwell (Calif.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Derek Tran (Calif.), Sylvester Turner (Texas), Marc Veasey (Texas) and Eugene Vindman (Va.).

"Mr. President, you've promised the American people that you would lower grocery prices. It's time to deliver. Families across the country cannot afford more delays or inaction,” they wrote in the letter. “This is about the health, nutrition, and financial stability of millions of Americans who are already struggling.”

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

Topics

House Democrat: Trump, Hegseth 'literally appear to be negotiating on behalf of Putin'

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) on Wednesday said President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are negotiating on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin and argued the commander in chief has ...
The Hill - 3h
Egg prices hit record $4.95 per dozen in January

An average price for a dozen eggs in U.S. cities hit a record of $4.95 last month, according to data published Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The price tag for a dozen grade A, large ...
The Hill - 21h
Bird flu, supply shortages keeping egg prices high

Egg prices are still sky-high as the potential spread of bird flu threatens farms across the nation. CBS News reporter Andres Gutierrez has more.
CBS News - 1d
House Democrat: Trump 'wants to be Vladimir Putin'

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) reacts to President Trump's appearance in the Oval Office with Elon Musk, as they attempt to dismantle various government agencies.
NBC News - 1d
Huge data price hike sparks anger in Nigeria

Yahoo News - 2d
Steel stocks cheer Trump’s tariffs as companies combat ‘unfairly priced’ imports

President Trump’s tariff plan is seen as leveling the playing field for domestic producers.
MarketWatch - 2d
As egg prices spike, some see an opportunity that’s tough to beat

But it might already be too late not only to buy chickens and start a production facility but even to make a profit on shares of egg giant Cal-Maine.
MarketWatch - 3d
House Democrats create a Trump-focused ‘rapid response task force’

Politico - 3d
Johnson urges Senate to wait for House to "do its work" on Trump agenda

House Republicans met for several hours with Trump Thursday, after GOP senators planned move forward with their own plan to enact Trump's priorities.
CBS News - 6d