After the Trump administration’s first year and Congressional Republicans voting for harmful economic policies, working families continue to pay the price
MADISON, Wis. – In case you missed it, new economic data details how rising costs spurred by the tariffs and other policies are forcing Wisconsin families to stretch their budgets even further.
The Joint Economic Committee Minority’s report found the average Wisconsin household paid an additional $1,560 last year, with $371 of that increase coming from additional housing expenses. This announcement follows months of increased tariffs backed by the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans, including Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden who have voted multiple times to keep tariffs in place.
“Wisconsin families have paid the price for these costly tariffs long enough. It’s time for Congressmen Steil and Van Orden to vote to end these tariffs and provide relief to Wisconsin families immediately,” said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “Families shouldn’t have to pay an extra $1,600 a year when budgets are already stretched thin and Congress has the power to end this crisis.”
This morning Republican leaders in Congress announced members would have the opportunity to vote against tariffs after the end of the month when a self-imposed ban on tariff votes ends.
All Recipes: A New Study Found Families Paid an Additional $310 for Groceries in 2025—Here Are the Items That Rose in Cost the Most
- Now, the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee – Minority has released a new report showing that the typical American family paid about $310 more for groceries in 2025 as compared to 2024. Here are the items that raised the most.
- Congress’ JEC looked at the prices of 31 common grocery products that most families purchase weekly. The Committee analyzed the groceries based on Walmart’s prices using the Bureau of Labor Statistics data to determine the overall change.
- The Committee determined that 20 of the most common grocery items rose in price in 2025, with some of the highest increases costing Americans $70 more annually for a single item.
- We see the largest annual price jumps in ground coffee, which rose $76.06, and ground beef, which rose $70.99, in 2025. The spike in coffee prices is likely tied to the 50 percent tariff on Brazil that was enacted in July, but reversed in November, according to the JEC. Ground beef prices have been consistently high since the summer, rising 15.5 percent in 2025, according to December’s Consumer Price Index, likely due to the same Brazilian tariffs, plus droughts and herd size factors, according to Time.
- Prices across all categories are currently up 2.7 percent, according to the Consumer Price Index, with food experiencing the highest increase out of all categories in December, up 0.7 percent. We’re currently still waiting to hear the Supreme Court’s ruling on the legality of recent tariffs, but it’s clear that ruling will largely impact consumers in 2026.
