Senate should follow House’s lead and pass BBB without further changes or delays
WASHINGTON — In response to the House of Representatives’ passage of the Build Back Better plan, Health Care for America Now Executive Director Margarida Jorge released the following statement:
“The Build Back Better plan is a historic piece of legislation that will improve the lives of families, seniors, small business owners and workers across the country by increasing economic mobility, equitable opportunity and prosperity for millions. Combined with the recently-passed bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Build Back Better will help ensure that everyone in America can benefit from our economic recovery, not just the wealthy few and corporations who have gotten richer while average people struggle with soaring inflation in the pandemic’s aftermath.
From lowering prescription drug costs and expanding maternal health coverage to closing the Medicaid coverage gap and providing Medicare hearing coverage, Build Back Better will keep more Americans from having to choose between paying for their healthcare and paying for other basic needs. For the first time, drug corporations will have to negotiate for lower prices in Medicare, the price of insulin will be capped at $35 a month and seniors will no longer have to pay unlimited amounts for their prescription medicines.
“After decades of loopholes, tax breaks and avoiding taxes altogether, Build Back Better will finally make the wealthiest Americans and corporations pay more to support the economy that has made them rich. Billionaires and corporations added trillions to their wealth during the pandemic. Thanks to Build Back Better’s tax provisions, they will now have to contribute a more fair share of it back so the rest of us can benefit from the economy too.
“Democrats in the House passed Build Back Better today to deliver on their promises to enact long overdue reforms that put healthcare over wealthcare, extend real economic opportunity to average people, and to address long-standing unfairness in our tax system. Now it’s time for the Senate to do their part and pass Build Back Better as soon as possible.”
