LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Following the release of the inflation numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor, lawmakers in Arkansas voiced their concerns about the heightened numbers.

In its latest report, the Labor Department said the country’s inflation rate jumped 8.5% within the past year, making it the highest it has been since 1981.

Senator John Boozman tweeted in response claiming that the Biden administration hasn’t taken accountability for the increase over the years.

“Highest inflation we’ve seen in 4 decades, and still no accountability from the Biden administration,” Boozman tweeted. “It’s no coincidence we’re seeing these devastating numbers under Democratic leadership. This red wave can’t come soon enough.”

President Biden addressed inflation and the economy in his first State of the Union address, vowing to address the issue by getting control of the rising prices for struggling families.

“Inflation is robbing them of the gains they might otherwise feel. I get it. That’s why my top priority is getting prices under control,” Biden said.

Senator Tom Cotton also spoke out blaming the increase on the Biden administration, urging Americans to vote Republican in the November election.

“Inflation is at a 40-year high and it’s a direct result of Joe Biden and the Democrats’ insane and reckless spending policies. If you want to stop the madness, vote Republican in November,” Cotton wrote.

Representative French Hill noted that inflation is not only affecting the “high-class” but all Americans, including Arkansas residents.

“Inflation is at a 41-year high and Arkansans continue to pay more for just about everything. Food is up 8.8%, gasoline is up 48%, and electricity is up 11.1%. What White House Chief of Staff Klain previously described as a “high-class problem,” is impacting ALL Americans,” Hill tweeted.

Even though Biden has blamed the reflected inflation rates on the Ukraine-Russia war, Representative Bruce Westerman spoke out saying, “Inflation began skyrocketing way before Russia invaded Ukraine and Americans know it!”

Westerman also tweeted that “wage increases cannot keep up with spiking inflation and President Biden cannot spin this to blame Putin for his own poor policies.”

Representative Rick Crawford released a statement stating, “Bidenflation is real and getting worse.” Crawford’s full statement stated:

“Somehow, the experts were the last to know what my constituents understand all too well: the prices they pay at the gas station, supermarket, on new and used cars, and on their utility bills have been rising faster than their wages since Biden took office. The policies of President Biden and the Fed gave us these devastating inflation numbers, not Putin’s lawless invasion.”

“The quickest ways for Washington to slow inflation would be to stop flooding the market with new government spending and to end Democrats’ war on fossil fuels, since higher fuel prices flow throughout the economy making everything more expensive. Otherwise, inflation will continue to erode the living standards of working families.”