February 11, 2023
Dear Friends,
This Tuesday, I was proud to sit in the House chamber as President Biden spoke directly to the American people to outline the historic progress we’ve made over the past two years. The President detailed an extraordinary record of accomplishments, from unprecedented job creation numbers to critical investments in boosting domestic manufacturing, lowering healthcare costs, and rebuilding American infrastructure. I’m proud to have played a part in this historic American comeback, and I’m eager to continue working alongside President Biden and his administration to finish the job.
Democrats’ plan to rebuild our economy from the bottom up and the middle out is working. In just two years since President Biden took office, we’ve created a record 12 million new jobs — almost as many as any other president has created in four years. This booming labor market has dropped the national unemployment rate to just 3.4 percent, the lowest in more than half a century. And through legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act, Democrats are making certain that communities across the country reap the benefits of new, good-paying manufacturing jobs.
The pandemic showed us just how vulnerable our supply chains can be when we rely on foreign nations for critical products like semiconductors. Semiconductor chips are essential components in countless everyday items, from cars and household appliances to cell phones and computers. But in recent decades, the U.S. share of global chip manufacturing has dropped from nearly 40 percent to just 10 percent, threatening our supply chains and raising costs for everyday Americans. The CHIPS and Science Act addresses this head-on, ensuring the U.S. can out-compete any nation in chip manufacturing while supporting 100,000 new good-paying jobs across our country, including thousands in our Capital Region’s emerging semiconductor industry. By strengthening domestic manufacturing and making more in America, Democrats are lowering costs for all Americans.
And our efforts to protect middle-class families and seniors from rising prices go far beyond the CHIPS and Science Act and consumer electronics. Through measures like the Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats are also committed to lowering the cost of health care and prescription drugs. This groundbreaking law institutes meaningful reforms that will save money for millions of Americans, including:
- Allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs, lowering healthcare costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries
- A yearly cap of $2,000 on overall out-of-pocket prescription drug costs through Medicare
- Extending the American Rescue Plan’s financial assistance for health insurance premiums through Healthcare.gov, saving consumers in these insurance plans an average of $800 per year, and
- Capping the price of insulin for Medicare beneficiaries at $35 per month.
These critical measures are already paying dividends for working families and older Americans, and I’m committed to continuing efforts to make our healthcare system work for all.
Democrats are also investing more than $1.2 trillion in rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed into law by President Biden in November 2021, we’re bringing our nation’s roads, bridges, water systems, and broadband infrastructure into the 21st century. This unprecedented infusion of funding is already making its way into our communities and improving the lives of everyday Americans. By rebuilding our roads to reduce traffic accidents, installing high-quality water systems, removing lead pipes that poison our children, and extending high-speed internet to rural and underserved areas, our infrastructure investments are keeping Americans safe and healthy while bringing millions of good-paying jobs to communities across our nation.
I am deeply heartened by all we have been able to achieve in such a short time. In just two years, we’ve made historic progress on bringing manufacturing back to our shores, revitalizing our critical infrastructure, lowering costs, and rebuilding the American middle class — the backbone of our nation and our economy. But with Republicans threatening to slash funding for Medicare and Social Security and criminalize abortion, there is still more work to do. My House Democratic colleagues and I stand ready to work alongside the Biden administration to defend reproductive rights, protect Social Security and Medicare for future generations, and further strengthen our investments in an economy that works for all. I know that with that firm commitment to delivering for everyday Americans, we can finish the job together.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- On Tuesday, February 21 at 1:00 PM, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) will host a webinar focused on increasing credit and credit building access for individuals with disabilities in the U.S.
- This event will feature a presentation on the banking status of households with a disability, helping to raise awareness of the unique challenges facing this population.
- Panelists from the FDIC, the National Disability Institute (NDI), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) will be on hand to give presentations and answer questions.
- Participants will discuss programs, products, and resources to assist financial institutions and technical assistance providers that want to make their offerings more accessible for people with disabilities.
- To learn more about the agenda for this event or to register to attend, click HERE.
