Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced the Measuring Adverse Market Disruption And National Impact, or MAMDANI, Act Wednesday, aiming to push the Federal Trade Commission to investigate government-run grocery stores.

The legislation is a clear nod at New York City Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s plan to enact more city-funded grocery stores in NYC if he is elected.

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In a statement, Lawler’s office said the legislation “calls on the FTC to investigate potential consequences of using taxpayer dollars to compete against local, private-sector grocers.”

“Government-run grocery stores raise serious questions about market fairness and taxpayer accountability,” Lawler said in a statement. “The MAMDANI Act ensures we carefully assess the potential impacts of such proposals before public funds are committed, or they risk undermining local businesses and disrupting supply chains, ultimately leaving consumers worse off.”

There has been uproar about the proposed grocery stores from some grocery business executives in the city, one of which, John Catsimatidis, says it amounts to “radical socialism” and, if implemented, “would collapse our food supply, kill private industry, and drag us down a path toward the bread lines of the old Soviet Union.”

Mamdani, who is a socialist, has also been criticized for other policies like free childcare and buses.

“Zohran Mamdani’s push for government-owned grocery stores is straight out of the Marxist playbook, and history shows exactly how this experiment ends. New Yorkers deserve solutions, not socialist fantasies that have failed spectacularly every time they’ve been tried,” Lawler concluded.

The legislation will point the FTC to release their findings in a public report to Congress.

There are already city-funded grocery stores in NYC. These grocers include Essex Street Market on the Lower East Side, Moore Street Market in East Williamsburg, and others in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens.

The grocery stores are a key part of Mamdani’s affordability platform.

“As Mayor, Zohran will create a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit,” his campaign website says. “Without having to pay rent or property taxes, they will reduce overhead and pass on savings to shoppers. They will buy and sell at wholesale prices, centralize warehousing and distribution, and partner with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing. With New York City already spending millions of dollars to subsidize private grocery store operators (which are not even required to take SNAP/WIC!), we should redirect public money to a real ‘public option.'”

Mamdani will face former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the November general election. As the Democratic nominee, he is expected to win.

MIKE LAWLER RULES OUT BID FOR NEW YORK GOVERNOR

Lawler ruled out a bid for New York governor earlier Wednesday and said he would seek reelection to his House seat.

“While I fundamentally believe I am best positioned to take on Kathy Hochul and offer New Yorkers a real choice for governor, I have made the decision to run for re-election to the House and continue the important work I’ve been doing over the past two and a half years,” Lawler said.