Yesterday, the House passed the $1.9 trillion reconciliation bill, known as the Build Back Better Act. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has recognized the need to re-build a stronger future that invests in Americans, from funding quality child care to developing secure and healthy communities. This historic piece of legislation covers President Biden's first-term domestic policy priorities by directly addressing the country’s education, climate, healthcare, immigration and tax laws.

The Build Back Better Act is one of the most comprehensive and consequential bills in American history. It creates a strong precedent for future legislation that can expand on the issues covered in the bill. Congress is finally addressing Americans’ concerns by investing in our workers, protecting growing families, and advocating for cleaner, greener initiatives.

The Act tackles racial and gender discrimination and protects children, the elderly, and the working class. It recognizes the role and importance of women in the workforce by addressing child care concerns as well as acknowledging the rising costs of living for Americans, issues that have been ignored for far too long. Moreover, the $555 billion climate investment is one of the largest parts of the bill, going above and beyond to confront the looming climate crisis.

In short, this bill will:

Cut carbon emissions by half by the end of the decade, which is the biggest action the US has taken on climate change
Reduce child poverty by 45% through 2022
Expand health and Medicare coverage to more Americans
Guarantee four weeks of paid family and medical leave
Establish universal preschool and make childcare accessible to all American families

TAKE ACTION: Tell your Senators to Pass the Build Back Better Act

Less than two weeks ago, President Biden signed into law a sweeping infrastructure bill that addressed the nation’s outdated and crumbling structures; yesterday, the House took the first step to pass legislation that would address the persistent and detrimental inequalities in our society. Now, the bill faces a tough fight in the Senate and is likely to undergo some changes. It’s time Congress supported the American people and the passage of these two historic bills can prove that they are doing just that.

Best regards,

Wa'el Alzayat, Emgage Action CEO