[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 188 (Tuesday, October 26, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H5879-H5880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           BUILD BACK BETTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Garcia) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Madam Speaker, Build Back Better. Three simple 
words, yet these words mean so much to my constituents and many 
Americans across the country.
  Building back better means that 96 percent of children in my district 
benefit from a permanent and expanded child tax credit. Yes, you heard 
right: 96 percent of the children in my district.

[[Page H5880]]

  Recently, Secretary Yellen told us that the child tax credit has 
already reduced poverty in our country by 25 percent, just with the 
first three checks. Imagine what continuation of this important program 
will do.
  This is huge for American families who are struggling to put food on 
the table, with Latino and Black families suffering the most. The child 
tax credit would help the parents of almost 8.8 million children 
nationwide who are going hungry during this pandemic.
  Madam Speaker, now is the moment. It is time to do better for our 
children.
  The Build Back Better agenda will bring universal pre-K to our kids 
and end childcare deserts, an issue that affects children and families 
in my district and across America. Without pre-K or childcare, parents 
are forced to choose between their family or their job.
  In fact, just a few months ago, I visited a childcare facility that 
struggled to keep up with the demand due to the lack of childcare 
infrastructure in Houston. We need to invest in this critical 
infrastructure for children, for working parents, and for care workers.
  Madam Speaker, care workers are essential. They care for our loved 
ones every day and keep this country running. We need to build back 
better with investments for our care workers so that their families can 
have better futures. We need to build back better for the almost one in 
two adults over 65 in Texas with multiple chronic medical conditions.
  Altogether, the Build Back Better agenda will make sure that millions 
of people in this country and in my home State of Texas gain affordable 
healthcare coverage. I represent a district that struggles to get vital 
coverage because the Republican-controlled State government has refused 
to accept the Federal dollars to expand Medicaid. This is how we build 
back better for the people who need critical care.
  Families deserve that. They also deserve to unlock the American Dream 
through affordable housing so they can live with dignity. We need 
investments in first-generation home buyers and affordable housing, 
housing vouchers, and more infrastructure so that families can say ``mi 
casa es su casa.''

  The Build Back Better agenda will do just that, but we must work 
hard. We must work hard to also provide a pathway to citizenship for 
the hundreds and thousands of Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential 
workers. They have been contributing to our economy, keeping this 
country running, and making it prosper.
  The Build Back Better agenda will deliver on the American Dream 
promise and the values on which this Nation of immigrants was founded. 
It would fulfill the ``give me your tired, your poor, your huddled 
masses yearning to breathe free.''
  The Build Back Better agenda is an American agenda fulfilling this 
promise. The Build Back Better agenda is by and for the American people 
that will allow our country, our families, and our women to heal from 
this horrible pandemic and build back better with wealthy people and 
corporations paying their fair share.
  This is why we are here in Congress, fighting for the people, 
fighting for our children, and building a better future so our mothers 
can rejoin the workforce, so our seniors can get care that will allow 
them to live with dignity, so our children can get the care they need 
without having to worry about poverty or going to school hungry, so our 
families can say ``mi casa es su casa'' and live with dignity in their 
own homes.
  This is how we build back better for all. Our country doesn't leave 
anyone behind, so this is how we honor the 329.5 million Americans: 
building back better for everyone. This is how we honor every single 
one of them.
  Madam Speaker, our time is now. We must get this done. So let's go 
and build back better now.

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