[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 168 (Monday, September 27, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H5179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               BUDGET RECONCILIATION TO BUILD BACK BETTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, this weekend I had the honor to work on 
our budget reconciliation in the Budget Committee. The legislation 
contains economic development initiatives that I have long championed 
to create good-paying jobs while lowering costs and cutting taxes for 
American families. This is the kind of legislation that assures the 
rest of the American people that they have not been abandoned in their 
time of need.
  The Build Back Better Act is a true job creator, creating millions of 
jobs while tackling the climate crisis and ensuring that America will 
not only compete but lead the way to a more prosperous future.
  Historic investments in clean energy technology will create 2 million 
jobs each year over the next decade, while reducing carbon emissions by 
over 50 percent by the year 2030. We also include investment in 
workforce training to connect workers to jobs, research and development 
to strengthen American manufacturing, and access to credit and 
investment for small businesses.
  The Build Back Better Act will also make significant investments in 
American agriculture. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, we were 
able to include critical investments in agricultural research, rural 
development, and renewable energy: $7.75 billion in agriculture 
research and infrastructure; $18 billion in rural job-promoting 
investments to ensure those living in rural America, on Tribal lands, 
and our insular areas have access to clean water and reliable and 
efficient renewal energy; and $40 billion in investments in forestry 
programs.
  It should concern us, and it concerns me, that CEOs make more than 
350 times more than the average worker, that billionaires have seen 
their wealth increase up to $1.18 trillion during the pandemic, or that 
55 of the largest corporations have paid zero dollars in Federal income 
taxes on over $40 billion of profits.
  These are what my colleagues, the Republicans, are calling job 
creators. Recognize that phrase when you hear them say job creators. It 
means those CEOs and those businesses that have created wealth for 
themselves without jobs for the American people.
  It is incredulous to me that the top 1 percent has evaded paying an 
estimated $160 billion in taxes each year while the average American 
pays his or her taxes every year. Millionaires and billionaires are 
paying lower taxes than teachers, cops, and firefighters.
  But Democrats are bringing legislation that is going to keep America 
great, that is going to continue to make America the innovators. This 
is our moment to change the course of progress toward the everyday 
American.
  History will point to this week, this law, as the significant 
transformation in the lives of the American people and overall success 
of true American greatness.

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