Rep. Johnson Votes to Pass Historic Build Back Better Act, Lower Everyday Costs for Georgia Families

Statement

Today, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) voted for the Build Back Better Act, which delivers once-in-a-generation action to bring down the everyday costs that burden Georgia families. This landmark legislation creates good paying jobs, cuts middle class taxes and lowers the costs of health care, childcare and family care. Importantly, this legislation is fully paid-for by asking the wealthiest few and biggest corporations pay their fair share, and so the Build Back Better Act will both grow the economy and fight inflation.

Rep. Johnson also announced that his and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff's Public Transportation Expansion Act passed in the bill, which for the first time will fund construction of public transportation specifically connecting affordable housing with transit networks in order to serve riders and commuters in low-income communities. The Build Back Better Act included $10 billion for this innovative new program.

"When we understand that mobility is essential to freedom -- to control your own destiny -- we understand that investing in transit in places that have historically been underserved is an investment in people," said Rep. Johnson. "I'm pleased the Public Transportation Expansion Act passed within the Build Back Better Act so we can invest in a new, one-of-a-kind program that will connect affordable housing with transit options so people can access health care, education and employment opportunities."

"The Build Back Better Act meets the needs of Georgia families, now and for generations to come," continued Rep. Johnson. "From prescription drugs to childcare to family care, our bill lowers the kitchen table costs that are holding back working parents -- while also delivering a major middle class tax cut and historic action on the climate crisis. Today, I proudly voted for this landmark legislation, which will make a lasting difference for Georgia families."

The Build Back Better Act:

* Lowers Health Care Costs:

o Empowers Medicare to negotiate lower drug costs for seniors and halts Big Pharma's outrageous price hikes above inflation for all Americans.

o Ensures Americans with diabetes don't pay more than $35 per month for their insulin.

o Creates a new, out-of-pocket cap of $2,000 on what seniors pay for their drugs in Medicare Part D.

o Lowers premiums dramatically for those who buy insurance on their own through the Affordable Care Act.

o Extends affordable coverage through the Affordable Care Act to millions of Americans in states that have refused to expand Medicaid.

o Expands Medicare to make hearing care more affordable for seniors.

* Lowers Child Care & Family Care Costs:

o Saves most families more than half their current spending on childcare, ensuring the vast majority of families will have to pay no more than 7 percent of their income for childcare.

o Expands the basic promise of free schooling in America for the first time in 100 years with universal pre-school for all 3- and 4-year-olds.

o Establishes a universal and permanent paid family and medical leave program, providing four weeks of paid parental, family caregiving, and medical leave.

o Gives more than 35 million families a major tax cut by extending the Biden Child Tax Credit.

o Expands access to high-quality home care for older adults and people with disabilities.

o Cuts the cost of postsecondary education, with such steps as increasing the maximum Pell Grant.

o Reduces families' housing costs and expands housing options.

* Makes the most consequential investment to combat the climate crisis in U.S. history:

o Invests $555 billion over 10 years in historic clean energy and climate investments.

o Creates green tax credits that will save the average American family hundreds of dollars per year in energy costs.

o Ensures clean energy technology will be built in the United States, creating hundreds of thousands of good jobs here at home.

As 17 Nobel Prize-winning economists recently wrote in support of this legislation: "Because this agenda invests in long-term economic capacity and will enhance the ability of more Americans to participate productively in the economy, it will ease longer-term inflationary pressures." In fact, according to the estimates of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the U.S. Treasury, the Build Back Better Act even reduces the deficit by more than $100 billion over the first ten years.

"Because it is fully paid for, our Build Back Better Act will also help fight inflation as our economy recovers, empowering more parents to return to the workforce and lowering the everyday expenses that weigh heaviest on working families," Rep. Johnson concluded.

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