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Congressional Lawmakers "Monopoly Busters Caucus" to Fight High Costs

Congressional "Monopoly Busters Caucus" and POTUS Trump signs EOs to Help Smaller Businesses, Affordable Housing, Manufactured Home Elements

Even a good idea, like fighting monopolistic practices that drive up costs and which can hurt smaller businesses, cost taxpayers more, and may also harm numbers of investors too can still have oversights, misleading, or other problematic elements to them. This writer for MHProNews and in this installment of the "Reality Check" series for this Patch editorially agrees with some of the points made that follow which include the need for stronger antitrust (anti-monopoly) law enforcement that could benefit the supply of more affordable housing and other products or services used by Americans. Here is how the lawmakers named below press release put the order of the kind of items that monopolization or consolidation can drive up the costs of: "housing, health care, gas, groceries, utilities."

Several Democrats have taken specific aim on certain manufactured home community operators who are often members of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and/or an MHI linked state association.

Perhaps to their credit, the lawmakers vaguely acknowledge that "for too long, politicians in Congress have let it happen.” Those politicians include members of both major parties. More on that and specific aspects of this need to tackle antitrust enforcement in a more consistent and robust way follows.

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The graphic below is NOT part of their press release, but are part of the factual background for the commentary that will follow in Part II.

Part I

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RYAN, JAYAPAL, DELUZIO, CRAIG LAUNCH MONOPOLY BUSTERS CAUCUS

Press Release | April 9, 2025
Ryan, Jayapal, Deluzio, Craig Launch Monopoly Busters Caucus
The Monopoly Busters Caucus will Fight Corporate Greed and Promote a Pro-Worker, Pro-Consumer, Pro-Small Business Agenda

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Pat Ryan (NY-18), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), and Angie Craig (MN-02) are today launching the Monopoly Busters Caucus, a new caucus with nine Founding Members to fight corporate greed and promote a pro-worker, pro-consumer, and pro-small business economic agenda. A full video of the press conference is linked here.

“When I talk with folks in the Hudson Valley, the number one thing I hear is frustration. Frustration that even though they’re working hard and doing everything that’s asked of them, they can’t afford to provide for their family – housing, health care, gas, groceries, utilities. It’s inherently un-American that only a select few are able to live out the American dream,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “The reason for this is clear – in every one of those industries, we’ve let monopolies drive up costs and drive down quality, all while making record breaking profits. We’re gonna fight back against these big and powerful corporations, hold the bad actors accountable, and ultimately put power back where it belongs: with the American people.”

“Something is wrong in this country when families go to the grocery store and can’t afford milk or eggs or cereal. As people struggle under the weight of inflation, corporate profits are higher than ever,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “From rent to groceries, to health care — life in America has become unaffordable. The answer to why is simple: corporate monopolies. When we take on corporate power, we can make a meaningful difference in the everyday lives of working people across the country – and we must, the American people are counting on us.”

"Monopolies have been rigging the system, crushing competition and small businesses, and ripping off the American people for decades. And for too long, politicians in Congress have let it happen,” said Congressman Deluzio. “We’re launching the Monopoly Busters Caucus today because we think that it's long overdue for Congress to step up to take on consolidated corporate power and to reinvigorate American capitalism with competition. It's our duty to help take the squeeze off of America’s workers, small businesses, and consumers and pave a path back to the American Dream. It's time to get real, patriotic competition back in our economy.”

“As the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, I have seen firsthand how consolidation in the ag industry is squeezing our family farmers and producers – and driving up costs for consumers too,” said Congresswoman Craig. “At a time when the Administration is launching our country headfirst into a global trade war, it’s more important than ever that we uplift small and local businesses right here at home. I’m proud to be joining Representatives Jayapal, Ryan and Deluzio to fight consolidation, strengthen the middle class and lower costs for producers and consumers.”
Throughout the pandemic and the inflation that followed, there was consistent reporting of large corporations price-gouging consumers, something they could do thanks to near-monopoly consolidation in many industries. For instance, in the cases of beef, baby food, pasta, and soda, more than 80 percent of the market is controlled by four companies. Rigorous enforcement of our antitrust laws can fix this consolidation and ensure that our markets work for all people.

The Caucus’s founding Members represent a large swath of the ideological makeup of the Democratic Party, highlighting the unity around a strong economic prosperity message. Joining the co-chairs in founding the Caucus are Becca Balint (VT-AL), Greg Casar (TX-35), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Kristen MacDonald Rivet (MI-08), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), and Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07).

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Issues: An Economy that Works for All

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Part II

In no particular order of importance is the following.

1) Lawmakers form new ‘Monopoly Busters Caucus’

2) The article linked below unpacks in depth examples of how the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and several of their dominating members have seemingly worked hand in glove to consolidate the manufactured home industry in the hands of those MHI-linked consolidators. That behavior may fit antitrust, RICO and other legal concerns, based on sources cited in the report.

https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/lawmakers-launch-monopoly-busters-caucus-specifically-citing-high-cost-of-housing-among-factors-driving-higher-costs-for-millions-of-americans-unpacking-caucus-release-rep/

3) On this date, that report above documents that MHI's website doesn't even include the word "monopoly." By contrast, the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has multiple uses of that term "monopoly" in several different reports. MHARR also used the term "antitrust." See that report linked above for the details.

4) Mark Weiss, J.D., President and CEO of the MHARR said the following in an email to this writer. "MHI" means the Manufactured Housing Institute. Note those links to those sites are edited in to clarify what Weiss meant.

"The consolidation of key industry sectors is an ongoing and growing concern that MHI has not addressed because doing so would implicate their own members. Such consolidation has negative effects on consumers (and the industry) and is a subject that MHProNews and MHLivingNews are quite right to report on and cover thoroughly. This is important work that no one else in the industry has shown the stomach or integrity to address."

That's it for now. Thanks for checking in today.

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L. A. “Tony” Kovach is a publisher who has earned multiple awards in history. He and his family live in a manufactured home on private property in Winter Haven, FL. He is the co-founder of Manufactured Home Living News.com (MHLivingNews.com) and Manufactured Home Pro News.com (MHProNews.com), trade publications serving segments of the manufactured home industry. Having worked in several segments of the manufactured home industry for over 3 decades, Kovach is a widely acknowledged and often praised expert on manufactured housing. ###

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Congressional Lawmakers "Monopoly Busters Caucus" to Fight High Costs

Congressional "Monopoly Busters Caucus" and POTUS Trump signs EOs to Help Smaller Businesses, Affordable Housing, Manufactured Home Elements

L. A. "Tony" Kovach, Neighbor

Find out what's happening in Lakelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Find out what's happening in Lakelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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