Record-Breaking Number of New Jobs

Floor Speech

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Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as we heard last night at the State of the Union Address, President Biden's first 2 years delivered a record-breaking number of new jobs. In total, 12 million new jobs were created for hardworking Americans. I repeat that: 12 million new jobs.

That is as many jobs in 2 years as any President has created in a 4- year term. America also has seen the lowest unemployment rate, at 3.4 percent, since 54 years ago.

The Biden administration fought hard to deliver big results for Medicare and other programs to help seniors and working families. Democrats were able to make changes that will help millions of Americans by lowering prescription drug prices for Medicare patients.

The following improvements have also taken place.

Insulin has been capped at $35 per month for Medicare patients. Mr. Speaker, that strikes home because we have a lot of diabetes in my own family.

Medicare can now negotiate the price of high-cost drugs, which further drops prices. We also provide additional free vaccines, including for shingles, pneumonia, and hepatitis, under the Medicare program.

On top of all this, we expanded the Affordable Care Act, which will lower premiums for 13 million Americans.

The President's economic agenda is generating investments across the country and revitalizing communities left behind.

We are giving families more breathing room and standing up for workers by banning noncompete agreements; rewarding work, not wealth; and fighting to ensure that everyone can earn a living wage.

For the next 2 years, Democrats will work together to fight for our hardworking families. The President knows that we must finish the job with affordable childcare, home care, sick leave, paid leave, and the child tax credit.

Mr. Speaker, we must put people over politics and solutions over rhetoric.

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