Barrasso says ‘we need to do more’ on affordability as midterms near

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said Sunday that the GOP needs to “do more” to lower costs for Americans with the midterms roughly six weeks away.

During an interview on NBC’s “ Meet the Press ,” Barrasso acknowledged that people “around the country are feeling the pain,” noting he has heard concerns from Wyoming ranchers and farmers.

“People vote about what’s going on in their life and their future,” he told host Kristen Welker. “And we know we need to do more. We need to get more money into people’s pockets.”

The senator later touted the GOP-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act , which enshrined President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and new deductions for overtime and tipped pay.

The six-plus-month war in Iran, though, has raised costs for Americans. Gas prices are approaching $4.50 per gallon on average, and annual inflation increased from 2.4 percent in February to 3.4 percent in August, as measured by the consumer price index.

More than 4 in 10 respondents to a recent Politico/Public First survey blamed Trump for the state of the economy , with 19 percent of Republicans and 70 percent of Democrats faulting him. Roughly 55 percent of respondents in an NBC News poll also said Trump’s policies worsened the economy .

One thing the federal government could do to lower costs is cutting regulations to allow for increased oil production, according to Barrasso.

“We need to do more with permitting,” the Wyoming Republican told Welker. “That’s legislation we’re working on now.”

Trump, meanwhile, has proposed sending $5,000 dividends to every American if Republicans maintain control of Congress in November. But multiple GOP lawmakers have warned about such an initiative’s impact on the growing national debt.

When Welker asked Barrasso whether he was committed to passing legislation to make that a reality, he deflected and said the president is “always looking for ways to get more money in people’s pockets.”

The senator added, “Bottom line is, the president is right to be focused on people and the economy. I’m focused on winning the House and winning the Senate.”