AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY MOBILIZING IN SUPPORT OF BUILD BACK BETTER AGENDA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2021
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AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY MOBILIZING IN SUPPORT OF BUILD BACK BETTER AGENDA
70+ events organized in past week alone in battleground states such as Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and more
Washington, D.C. — Polling has consistently shown that the American people overwhelmingly support the Build Back Better Agenda, which has been reflected in immense on-the-ground energy from everyday Americans. In the past week, the Build Back Better War Room has organized more than 70 events on the ground across the country in states such as Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and more engaging Americans and urging members of Congress to pass the Build Back Better Agenda.
The grassroots energy is also being supported by on-the-air investments to the tune of $150 million — with $13+ million in new spending on TV and digital announced just this past week.
“At phone banks and town halls, rallies and caregiving parades, Americans are coming together because they are counting on their representatives in Washington to pass legislation that will lower the costs everyday families face, and ensure the wealthiest Americans finally pay their fair share,” said Building Back Together Executive Director Danielle Melfi. “We know that voters are prepared to support legislators who work to pass President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda — now it’s time for Congress to get to work and deliver.”
See just some of the Build Back War Room’s latest events here, here, and here and highlights of what Americans are saying about the Build Back Better Agenda below:
Chicago Sun-Times: Health care pandemic heroes deserve a fair paycheck
“Child care providers are also among the lowest-paid workers in the country. President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda would build the seamless child care system working families deserve. He has proposed $250 billion to make care affordable, and to raise standards and better support the workers who care for our kids. Everyone who works hard deserves a living wage, paid time off, affordable health care, parental leave, and more. But we owe a special debt to those who work in the care economy.”
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Infrastructure bills must be approved quickly
“Residents of Westmoreland County deserve swift approval of the infrastructure bills. Build Back Better will provide good-paying union jobs to spur our local economies, benefit small business owners and increase local tax revenues. The Senate has a $1.2 trillion bipartisan deal that will invest in roads, bridges, transit and broadband.”
New Hampshire Union Leader: The pandemic has destroyed lives, we must ‘Build Back Better’
“I’m lucky at this time of my life to be in a place where I could pursue higher education. Before, the cost of a college education was prohibitive and once I became a mom, money and time were especially sparse. That’s why I’m so excited to see that “Build Back Better” would provide two years of free community college. Free community college would open so many doors to people who have been left behind. Personally, I would be freed from the financial and mental burden of figuring out how to pay for my education.”
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier: Medicare should include vision, dental, hearing benefits
“President Biden’s Build Back Better reconciliation package includes Medicare drug price negotiations that Iowa seniors need. Sen. Chuck Grassley made sure to ban price negotiations from Medicare Part D for seniors to our detriment way back in 2006. The good news is that Democrats like Rep. Cindy Axne are pushing for negotiations that will lower costs for consumers, save lives, and save upwards of $456 billion over the next decade that we can invest toward expanding Medicare coverage to include hearing, vision, and dental. Access to guaranteed Medicare vision, dental, and hearing benefits would make such a difference to the 634,000 Iowans who rely on Medicare. These are not luxuries. They are essential health care.”
Arizona Daily-Sun: Local business owner sees importance in climate action
“I support the Build Back Better Act because I know Arizona residents will benefit from clean air and water in their communities, jobs in growing industries, and a clean energy future. Congress must act with urgency to pass the ‘climate test,’ making the bold investments necessary to put the United States on track to address the urgency of the climate crisis and environmental injustices in our communities, and to create good paying jobs to fuel a clean energy economy.”
Portland Press-Herald: Improve funding for Maine caregiver industry
“The median age of the U.S. population is 38. This number is only expected to increase moving forward, and the expectation is that by 2035, there will be more adults age 65 and up than there will be children age 18 and younger. This is important because it is going to create a dramatic strain on our caregiving infrastructure, including family caregivers, home-care nurses, retirement homes and nursing homes. The Build Back Better Agenda is fighting to expand home care, as well as improving work opportunities and increasing wages in the caregiving industry. I am calling on our elected officials to support these care provisions, and I am urging you to contact your local representative to do the same.”
Florida Today: George Washington met his big moment — now our Congress needs to do the same
“The bill would provide federal dollars for everything from addressing climate change, providing universal pre-K, investments in HBCUs and aid for seniors and the disabled to immigration reform, tax relief for families, expanding Medicaid and adding coverage of dental, vision, and hearing to Medicare, among other things. It’s ambitious, far-reaching, and exactly what we need to address the problems that existed long before COVID-19.”
La Crosse Tribune: Congress must act now to lower prescription costs
“As an HIV-positive gay man who relies on healthcare and medications in order to survive, I’m excited about the prospect of Congress finally passing legislation that would lower drug prices. This legislation would require drug manufacturers to negotiate lower prices with Medicare and extend those lower prices to people with all types of insurance. This legislation — the Lower Drug Prices Now Act provisions in Build Back Better — would help lower drug costs for all of us.”
Colorado Sentinel: Immigrants make Colorado vibrant and deserve a pathway to citizenship
“Further, there are 166,000 U.S. citizens in Colorado who live with undocumented immigrants. If something were to happen to these individuals, each and every one of us would be impacted. Congress needs to urgently provide a pathway to citizenship for Colorado undocumented immigrants to prevent family separation and secure our economic future. Thanks to ongoing efforts by Congress that have been supported by Rep. Crow, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix our failed immigration system and provide a pathway to citizenship. Despite the Senate parliamentarian’s recent ruling, I remain optimistic that lawmakers can pass these reforms via budget reconciliation and legislation.”
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