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,” 28 House Democrats, all of whom are members of the Congressional Dads Caucus, wrote 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 have 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 of 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 on 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 OPPR’s functions will continue.
Besides Gomez, the letter was signed by Democratic Party Reps. Don Beyer (Va.), Joaquin Castro (Texas), Gilbert Cisneros (Calif.), Luis 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.), Robert 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.
