Press Releases
Trahan Votes to Advance Build Back Better Act Provisions Key for Massachusetts Families’ RecoveryLegislation will deliver on Trahan’s promise to expand access to affordable health care, tackle climate change, and strengthen America’s pandemic preparedness
Washington,
September 15, 2021
LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) voted to advance key provisions of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act under her jurisdiction as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The once-in-a-generation legislation will prove key as hardworking families continue down the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic through investments in children, workers, and the middle class. “Passage of President Biden’s Build Back Better Act will ensure that we have the tools, resources, and authority necessary to tackle the crises facing hardworking families here in the Third District and beyond,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “Working families will have the support necessary to succeed in an economy that finally works for them, including access to affordable health care, quality child care, and lower taxes. Our hospitals and health centers will have the funding necessary to tackle this pandemic and future public health threats while also strengthening the pipeline of future health care workers. We’ll be able to take a whole-of-government approach to addressing climate change, including incentivizing robust private support for a clean energy economy that treats the climate crisis like the national security threat it is. And the entire nation will benefit from a shorter economic recovery that sees workers gaining employment, small businesses flourishing, and America reestablishing our leadership on the world stage once again. That’s what the American people – Democratic, Republican, and Independent alike – support, and today’s vote gets us one step closer to making that a reality.” The Build Back Better Act will make historic investments in the American people by lowering costs for American families, making health care more accessible and affordable, revitalizing the economy, and combating the climate crisis. The provisions of the bill supported by Trahan during the Energy and Commerce Committee’s markup today will have a tangible effect on the lives of hardworking families across the Third District and the Commonwealth as a whole. Health Care: The Build Back Better Act builds on the historic coverage gains and better health care value provided to families through the Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan. The legislation also expands access for underserved and vulnerable communities. Specifically, the legislation:
Protecting Health Care Workforce: Frontline health care workers have done incredible work under grueling conditions for 18 months, and they are feeling the brunt of those herculean efforts. During a roundtable discussion with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at Lowell General Hospital last month, doctors and nurses detailed how badly federal investments are needed to bolster the health care workforce. To that end, the Build Back Better Act:
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of obtaining and retaining an adequate public health and health care workforce. It also exposed the key gaps in our nation’s health workforce, particularly in achieving core public health functions that are especially important during health emergencies. As the nation works to further address the spread of the virus, there is a unique opportunity to develop a more sustainable health workforce, and the Build Back Better Act makes the necessary investments to help achieve that goal. Combating Climate Change: The cost of further inaction to combat climate change is catastrophic. In 2019, the United States experienced 14 major natural disasters costing Americans $91 billion. Last year, 22 major natural disasters cost Americans a record-shattering $95 billion in damages. So far, 2021 has been yet another record-setting year of climate catastrophe, putting the U.S. on track for this to be yet another year of record-breaking natural disasters. To make matters worse, these figures only represent the direct costs of physical damages. They do not reflect the cost of lost jobs, lost wages, health care expenses, or the trauma of more and more Americans losing their homes and livelihoods. The Build Back Better Act provides the tools needed to tackle the climate crisis and position the United States as a leader in the global transition to clean energy economies by investing:
The legislation also establishes a methane fee on pollution from the oil and gas industry above specific intensity thresholds, invests $10 billion for the cleanup of Superfund sites like those across the Third District, and allocates $30 billion for the full replacement of lead service lines in drinking water systems throughout the country. Pandemic Preparedness: As a Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the bipartisan Pandemic Preparedness Caucus, securing investments in pandemic preparedness response has been a priority of Trahan’s as the Committee has compiled this portion of the legislation. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated just how devastating cuts to America’s preparedness and response programs have been over the past several decades. The nation’s public health preparedness and response capabilities remain inadequate. The Build Back Better Act provides targeted investments in pandemic preparedness so the United States will be able to address any future public health emergencies head on by:
As Trahan said when she launched the Pandemic Preparedness Caucus, “We owe it to these heroes and to all those we represent to use the lessons learned from this pandemic to improve our response to future surges of COVID-19 and other public health crises.” Protecting Public Safety: As workers continue returning to the workforce in record numbers, they deserve to know that their families’ safety and privacy are being prioritized. The Build Back Better Act contains critical provisions related to communications and technology that will save lives, promote innovation, and invest in children, including:
Following today’s vote, the Energy and Commerce Committee’s portion of the Build Back Better Act is complete. A final House vote on the total legislative package is expected in the coming weeks. ### |