WASHINGTON, DC- Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act:
“At last, we are sending the Senate a once-in-a-generation package to invest in our nation’s workers, families, and economy. We fought hard to keep key provisions like paid family and medical leave in the legislation because we cannot build back better until we recognize the needs of workers outside of the workplace. Each individual measure in this bill has the potential to change lives, and when taken together, these investments will transform our country for the better.
“Under President Biden’s leadership, and thanks in large part to the vaccine, our country is steadily climbing out of the devastation of the pandemic. This legislative package helps ensure that our continued recovery expands opportunity and financial security for all Americans. The Ways and Means Committee responsibly crafted provisions to lower the cost of prescription drugs and health care premiums, and expand the Affordable Care Act to finally close the coverage gap. We leveraged the tax code to make the largest investment in combatting climate change in American history, while extending popular tax credits to put money back into the pockets of hard-working families.
“When combined with the bipartisan infrastructure law, this legislation will create millions of high-quality, good-paying jobs, reduce inequality, and advance equity in our nation. Democrats are building back better."
