Representative Danny K. Davis Praises Passage of H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U. S. Representative Danny K. Davis praised the passage of the Build Back Better Act.  Davis said, ““I am honored and humbled to have voted for this once-in-a-generation legislation. I came to Congress to make this type of momentous change.  The Build Back Better Act represents a transformative investment in children, families, workers, businesses, and the planet that will improve health and well-being, advance economic and environmental justice, meaningfully address climate change, and grow our economy while asking the wealthiest and most secure to pay their fair share. I am deeply proud that many priorities that I have championed are included in this historic bill.”

• It provides 4 weeks of paid family and medical leave for workers so that they do not face the inhumane choice of caring for loved ones or financial ruin. Lower-income workers and workers of color are much less likely to have any paid leave, yet are more likely to need it due to greater health challenges and less savings to weather caregiving without pay. As Chair of the Subcommittee with jurisdiction over paid leave, I have worked closely with Ways and Means Chairman Neal and advocates to shape this equity-generating, universal benefit. 
• The bill enhances the Earned Income Tax Credit to improve the economic well-being of millions of childless workers and noncustodial parents – with new help for younger workers, foster and homeless youth, and seniors. I’ve fought for these improvements for over a decade via my Responsible Fatherhood Act. These changes will help 17 million adults nationwide and over 600,000 in Illinois.
• It provides $2 billion to train workers with barriers to employment – including people with records - for careers in the allied health professions. This provision will help Chicago State which has a stellar Health Profession Opportunity Grant program and expand programs like those offered by the Safer Foundation to help people with records become successful healthcare professionals.
• It helps vulnerable students by making Pell non-taxable and removing the lifetime ban on the American Opportunity Tax Credit for past felony drug convictions.
• It incents substantial private investment in solar energy that will reduce electricity costs for tens of millions of low-income individuals while making the air they breathe safer.
• It contains strong labor provisions so that our investments in green energy benefit workers as well as businesses.
• It includes $1 billion for to help justice-involved individuals obtain employment and training services via the Reentry Employment Opportunities Program. It makes sure that people leaving prison have Medicaid coverage to improve health and successful reentry.
• It includes $2.5 billion for public health approaches to reduce community violence and advance trauma interventions, which I have championed via the RISE from Trauma Act.
• It helps restore fairness to the tax code by rolling back the Republicans’ punitive limit on the State and Local Tax deduction to hurt citizens in blue states like Illinois.