[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 194 (Thursday, November 4, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H6185]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        BUILD BACK BETTER AGENDA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, we stand on a 
precipice in which shortly we are about to deliver truly a once-in-a-
generation piece of legislation; action that will lower the everyday 
costs that burden working families in my district in Pennsylvania and 
throughout the Nation--from healthcare to childcare and more--and fully 
paid for by making corporations and the richest 1/10 of 1 percent pay 
their fair share.
  Here is what it does: First, lower healthcare costs: negotiating 
lower drug costs for seniors; halting Big Pharma's outrageous price 
hikes well above inflation; and expanding the Affordable Care Act to 
make coverage more affordable for those who buy their own insurance.
  Second, lower childcare and family care costs: expanding the basic 
promise of free schooling in America for the first time in a century 
with universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds. This is so 
critical. In my State, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, only 16 
percent of 3- and 4-year-olds have access to universal pre-K. It also 
will slash families' childcare costs; extend the landmark Biden Child 
Tax Credit, which has helped reduce child poverty in this country this 
year by 50 percent; and will expand access to affordable home care for 
older adults and those with disabilities.

  Third, we are talking about the largest investment to combat the 
climate crisis in our Nation's history: cutting pollution; reducing 
energy costs; creating good-paying jobs with a transformational 
investment to ensure America leads the worldwide clean energy economy.
  Why would we want China to take the lead on that? They are already 
investing a ton of money in clean energy. It is time for the United 
States to catch up and take the lead. We are the number one country, 
but in order to remain the number one country, we have to get with it 
when it comes to where the jobs will be in this century.
  The Build Back Better Act lowers costs and fights inflation because--
and I hope everyone hears this--it is fully 100 percent paid for. Not 
one person who makes under $400,000 a year will pay one extra dime in 
taxes, not one. In fact, many, especially those families with children, 
will see their taxes go down.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to paraphrase--and I hope I have the quote 
exactly right; I am going on memory. I remember when I was growing up 
in Pennsylvania some decades ago in the 1980s, our Governor was Bob 
Casey, Sr., a legendary figure in Pennsylvania politics.
  He once said: What did you do when you had the power? That is a 
question that will be asked of all public servants. What did you do to 
help people when you had the power? That is what the Build Back Better 
Act is about, answering that question; delivering in all of these 
measures that I just cited.
  Once this passes the House, passes the Senate, and is signed into 
law, it will truly be the most important domestic bill in my lifetime. 
It will help ordinary people, from the Second Congressional District of 
Pennsylvania, to all 435 congressional districts in this Nation. 
Working families deserve it.
  Look at how hard it is today to achieve the American Dream. We know, 
based on statistics, that working families and middle class families 
are struggling out there. Yes, the unemployment rate is coming down. We 
are in such a better position right now than where we were a year ago. 
Every single statistic supports that. It is not enough. We need to 
build back and we need to build back better.

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