WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor this evening in support of the Build Back Better Act. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery and a link to the video:   “Tonight, House Democrats will vote on the Build Back Better Act – legislation to transform our country by making opportunities available and equitable for all Americans.  Its name, of course, refers to the broad recognition that too many Americans are just barely getting by in our economy – and we simply cannot go back to the way things were before the pandemic.  We have to ensure our people can access the tools and resources they need not just to survive, but to succeed.

“This bill does so by making investments in four key areas.  First, it will invest in child care, universal pre-K, and home care so that more Americans can get back to the workforce and grow our economy.

“Secondly, it further expands Affordable Care Act coverage, reduces out-of-pocket costs, caps insulin at $35 for everyone, and finally gives Medicare the tools and authority to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors.

“Thirdly, it will bring down the everyday costs for housing and higher education that make it harder for Americans to secure a place in our middle class.

“And, fourth, the Build Back Better Act makes the largest commitment toward addressing the climate crisis ever considered by any nation in history.

“In all four of these critical areas, the Build Back Better Act will make transformational investments that will help more Americans access opportunities and achieve greater economic security.   

“Many Americans are looking at the investments this bill would make in America’s workers and families and asking: how are we going to afford that?  First and foremost, this bill does not raise taxes from households or small businesses earning less than $400,000 a year.  In fact, the Build Back Better Act would provide a tax cut to 80% of American households next year.  Not only that, but it will raise revenue, according to the Treasury Department and outside analyses.

“My Republican friends should be excited that this bill is a tax cut for 80% of Americans, not just 1%, and that, by most estimates, this bill reduces the deficit.  It also ensures that all of us will pay our fair share to support our democracy.

“The impact of this historic legislation will be reflected in the greater economic security of millions of families and in the growth and competitiveness of a robust American economy.  President Biden said this bill will be transformational.  And it will be measured in the deeper sense of hope that Americans will have when they see their economy working for them instead of holding them back. 

“I am hopeful that the Senate acts quickly to pass this bill under reconciliation, even while Republicans all sit on the sidelines in this historic moment.  Democrats will not rest until all Americans have the tools to build back better, to access opportunities to get ahead, to achieve real economic security, and to reach for the American Dream that has been this country’s promise for generations.

“Vote ‘yes’ to keep the promise of the American dream today and for the future.  This bill is for the people – all the people.”