11.19.21

Chairman Scott Praises House Passage of the Build Back Better Act

WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act.

“Today, the House took a major step toward delivering historic investments in America’s future.  The Build Back Better Act that the House approved today will lower costs for nearly every family, create millions of good-paying jobs, and improve the quality of life for the people we represent.

“The Build Back Better Act invests in making child care affordable and securing universal, free, high-quality pre-school for all three- and four-year-olds.  It addresses child hunger by extending food programs to make nearly 9 million children newly eligible for free school meals.  It lowers the cost of higher education by increasing the value of Pell Grants and investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other chronically underfunded institutions.  It expands high-quality job training programs to help workers build their skills and increase their paychecks.  It bolsters workers’ rights by strengthening enforcement of employment, labor, and civil rights laws.  And it lowers the cost of prescription drugs, including insulin, so Americans are no longer forced to ration or forego life-saving medications.

“Any of these provisions, alone, would make life better for people in our communities.  Taken together, they represent a monumental victory for families that will be fully paid for by ensuring that the wealthiest individuals and corporations pay their fair share in taxes. Regrettably, not a single House Republican voted for this legislation.

“Every investment in the Build Back Better Act addresses an urgent challenge facing families, workers, and our economy.”