[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 196 (Thursday, November 20, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H4831]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ECONOMIC DIGNITY FOR ALL

  (Ms. Tlaib of Michigan was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, we know that our families can't afford the 
basics right now. Their electricity and gas bills are out of control. 
Their water bills are out of control. Don't get me started about their 
auto and home insurance. It is all out of control. Grocery costs are up 
28 percent, healthcare costs are up and out of control, and it is even 
worse for those family members who are sick.
  Our families can't afford the basics. Everyone in this Chamber can 
agree to that. There is an affordability crisis in our country, and the 
corporations and billionaires driving up these costs don't care. They 
not only don't care, they were also rewarded with a big tax break in 
the betrayal bill.
  This is why it is important to understand that this is a policy 
choice, that many of our families feel like they are intentionally 
being put in survivor mode instead of being able to thrive.
  I know that right now nearly one in five children in Michigan live 
below the poverty line, Madam Speaker, and 60 percent of Americans live 
paycheck to paycheck.
  I am not going to wait for President Trump to keep his promise to 
address the cost of living in this country. I am going to help and push 
back and introduce the economic dignity for all agenda, a plan to 
tackle the high cost of living in our country.
  We need to ensure that in every family in every single corner in our 
country, a child has resources that they need to live and thrive in our 
country, not just hope to survive.
  This plan includes the End Child Poverty Act, the Baby Bonus Act, and 
the BOOST Act. The End Child Poverty Act would provide a universal 
child benefit of $458 per child per month. It would bring us closer to 
a nation where all children have the opportunity to flourish, not just 
grow. This plan will make it easy for our families to afford the 
basics. I hear it from them: Formula, diapers, and childcare are all 
out of control. It will provide, again, a long-overdue safety net for 
our families.
  We know right now this bill, the End Child Poverty Act, is estimated 
to cut child poverty by 50 percent according to the People's Policy 
Project, and it will cut deep child poverty by 70 percent.
  The second bill, a part of the plan, is the Baby Bonus Act, which 
would provide every family with $2,000 upon the birth of their child, 
bringing economic stability to households through timely and flexible 
assistance at a pivotal moment for a child's development.
  The birth of a new child is often a time of increased economic 
insecurity. Families face new expenses of childcare, diapers, baby 
clothes, and more, while many parents must take time off leading up to 
and following the birth of a newborn. Without universal childcare, 
parents are often forced to choose between healing, caring for their 
newborn, and keeping their job.
  As a founder of the Congressional Mamas' Caucus, it is time we 
listened to mothers who are urging our government to focus on families.
  Roughly 134,000 families are driven into poverty annually because of 
the cost of childcare alone. This is not surprising when countless 
families are one job loss, disability, and emergency away from crushing 
financial hardship.
  Finally, part of the plan includes the BOOST Act. It is one of my 
district's favorites. It is the Building Our Opportunities to Survive 
and Thrive Act. It would provide $250 per month to adults between the 
ages of 19 to 67 years old, promoting economic security for all.
  Studies show that this is effective. What is not effective is 
continuing to give billionaires big tax breaks. Again, that doesn't 
impact our families in a positive way.
  While costs for necessities like housing, groceries, healthcare, and 
education increase annually, wages fail to keep up. We all know this in 
this Chamber. It puts many of our families in economic insecurity. An 
unexpected expense like medical bills should not be a threat to a 
family's financial livelihood. It is important that we start looking at 
new ways. Regular cash assistance would make a tremendous difference to 
families literally on the edge of poverty and struggling to pay their 
bills.
  Everyone in our country deserves human dignity.
  We know that corporate greed is driving costs up and creating this 
affordability crisis, so we need to push back. If my colleagues in 
Congress are serious and wanting to improve the lives of the American 
people, they should stop corporate giveaways and support and pass the 
economic dignity for all plan.

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