Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he has "begged" Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to "please bring bills to address the cost of living in America," warning that working families are being crushed while Washington focuses on the wrong priorities.
In a post on X Monday, Kennedy praised President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for bringing inflation down from its Biden-era peak, but said voters need more relief now, not spin.
"Pretty please, with sugar on top," Kennedy wrote, urging Senate leadership to move cost-of-living legislation using the reconciliation process.
Kennedy expanded on those concerns during a recent appearance on Ben Shapiro's podcast, during which he argued that Americans are far more worried about groceries, housing, and insurance than the cultural fights dominating much of Washington's attention.
"When moms and dads lie down to sleep at night and can't, they're not lying there worried about whether a man can breastfeed," Kennedy said.
"They're worried about the cost of living. They're worried about having to sell blood plasma to go to the grocery store."
Kennedy said inflation has fallen from roughly 9% under President Joe Biden to about 3% today, crediting Trump-era economic policies and Republican pressure in Congress.
But he cautioned that falling inflation does not mean prices have come down — only that they are rising more slowly.
"We've got to do more," Kennedy said.
"Just telling the American people, 'Everything's swell; don't believe your own lying checkbook,' is not gonna get it."
The Louisiana Republican argued that Congress' low approval ratings stem from a growing sense that lawmakers are disconnected from economic reality.
He told Shapiro that Americans feel squeezed from both ends — seeing bailouts for elites, handouts for special interests, and a shrinking middle class left holding the bill.
Kennedy said the Senate's slow pace is intentional, adding that part of his job is advancing good ideas while killing bad ones.
Still, he made clear that cost-of-living relief should rise to the top of the agenda, especially as housing costs, insurance premiums, and food prices remain high.
The senator also rejected calls from both parties to eliminate the filibuster, arguing it has served as a crucial firewall against what he called radical legislation.
He warned that weakening Senate rules would only accelerate reckless government expansion, not help families afford rent or groceries.
While Kennedy supports a robust debate within the GOP over its future direction, he stressed that economic relief must remain central.
Foreign threats from China, Russia, and Iran matter, he said, but voters are feeling the pain at home first.
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