Budget Reconciliation to Build Back Better

Floor Speech

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Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, this weekend I had the honor to work on our budget reconciliation in the Budget Committee. The legislation contains economic development initiatives that I have long championed to create good-paying jobs while lowering costs and cutting taxes for American families. This is the kind of legislation that assures the rest of the American people that they have not been abandoned in their time of need.

The Build Back Better Act is a true job creator, creating millions of jobs while tackling the climate crisis and ensuring that America will not only compete but lead the way to a more prosperous future.

Historic investments in clean energy technology will create 2 million jobs each year over the next decade, while reducing carbon emissions by over 50 percent by the year 2030. We also include investment in workforce training to connect workers to jobs, research and development to strengthen American manufacturing, and access to credit and investment for small businesses.

The Build Back Better Act will also make significant investments in American agriculture. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, we were able to include critical investments in agricultural research, rural development, and renewable energy: $7.75 billion in agriculture research and infrastructure; $18 billion in rural job-promoting investments to ensure those living in rural America, on Tribal lands, and our insular areas have access to clean water and reliable and efficient renewal energy; and $40 billion in investments in forestry programs.

It should concern us, and it concerns me, that CEOs make more than 350 times more than the average worker, that billionaires have seen their wealth increase up to $1.18 trillion during the pandemic, or that 55 of the largest corporations have paid zero dollars in Federal income taxes on over $40 billion of profits.

These are what my colleagues, the Republicans, are calling job creators. Recognize that phrase when you hear them say job creators. It means those CEOs and those businesses that have created wealth for themselves without jobs for the American people.

It is incredulous to me that the top 1 percent has evaded paying an estimated $160 billion in taxes each year while the average American pays his or her taxes every year. Millionaires and billionaires are paying lower taxes than teachers, cops, and firefighters.

But Democrats are bringing legislation that is going to keep America great, that is going to continue to make America the innovators. This is our moment to change the course of progress toward the everyday American.

History will point to this week, this law, as the significant transformation in the lives of the American people and overall success of true American greatness.

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