House of Representatives Passes Build Back Better Act with Rep. Cleaver’s Support

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act, which will invest $1.75 trillion over ten years to meet the urgent needs of Missourians and families across the country. As the global pandemic continues to cause increased costs for child care, health care, housing, and other essential items, the Build Back Better Act will deliver transformative investments that will create millions of good-paying jobs, cut taxes for the middle-class, and lower costs for Missouri families—all without raising taxes on Americans making less than $400,000 or adding to the federal deficit by making sure the ultra-wealthy and corporations pay their fair share in taxes.

"The Build Back Better Act is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to level the playing field for middle-class families in Missouri and throughout the United States of America," said Congressman Cleaver. "For far too long, trickle-down economics has allowed the rich and powerful to accumulate wealth and influence at an exponential rate, while working families have struggled to stay afloat, let alone climb the ladder financially. By making sure billionaires and millionaires as well as Fortune 500 companies pay their fair share, we can provide a historic tax cut to middle class workers, invest in affordable child care for working families, implement universal pre-K for our children, bring down prescription drug costs for seniors, expand Medicare benefits to cover hearing care, and create affordable housing for communities throughout our state. That's a no-brainer to me, and that's why I'm excited to send this truly historic legislation one step closer to President Biden's desk."

Passed by Democrats in the House of Representatives, the Build Back Better Act will deliver transformative investments that meet the needs of Missouri families in the wake of a global pandemic, ensuring that all can share in the benefits of a growing economy as the country continues to recover economically. According to a newly released study from the White House, the Build Back Better Act would:

• Provide affordable child care to Missouri families by enabling the state to provide child care for approximately 380,000 children (ages 0-5) per year from families earning under 2.5 times the state median income. The bill would guarantee these families pay no more than 7% of their income on high-quality child care.
• Implement universal, free preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old in Missouri. Currently, only 14% of 3- and 4-year-olds in Missouri have access to publicly-funded pre-K, while the average cost in the state is $8,600 per year for those who can't access publicly-funded preschool. The Build Back Better Act would enable more than 115,000 additional Missouri children to access free, high-quality pre-K, which would strengthen outcomes for children and our workforce in the years to come.
• Cut taxes for the middle-class by extending the expanded Child Tax Credit, which was passed in the American Rescue Plan in March and resulted in the largest one-year reduction in child poverty in American history. The bill would also provide a tax cut of up to $1,500 for 338,000 Missouri workers by extending the American Rescue Plan's expanded Earned Income Tax Credit.
• Ensure Corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share by establishing a minimum 15% tax on all U.S. corporations earning more than $1 billion per year in profits, ensuring companies pay a minimum 15% tax on profits earned overseas, and provides a new surtax on the wealthiest Americans—those making over $10 million per year. The bill also provides a 1% surcharge on stock buybacks, which are frequently used by corporate executives to enrich themselves rather than invest in their workers or grow their business.
• Lower prescription drug costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capping insulin prices at $35 per month, and guaranteeing that seniors never pay more than $2,000 per year for their drugs under Medicare Part D. Currently, Medicare is not allowed to negotiate drug prices and there is no cap on how much seniors and people with disabilities pay for drugs, as millions pay more than $6,000 per year in cost-sharing.
• Expand affordable health care by closing the Medicaid gap, expanding Medicare benefits to include hearing care, and reducing costs for insurance purchased through the ACA. Under the Build Back Better Act, 97,000 uninsured Missourians will gain coverage and 133,000 will on average save hundreds of dollars per year. The bill also provides investments to make home health care for elderly parents or loved ones with disabilities more affordable and accessible.
• Make the largest investment to combat climate change in history, which will set the United States on a path to reduce 50-52% of greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, create millions of good-paying green jobs, grow domestic manufacturing, and protect our communities from extreme weather events like floods or tornadoes.
• Administer the single largest investment in affordable housing in American history, helping to create more housing and reduce housing costs for Missourians in urban and rural areas, which will allow more Missourians to achieve the American Dream and become a homeowner.
• Address the needs of rural America by investing tens of billions of dollars in rural job-promoting projects, giving critical debt relief for farmers and ranchers in need, providing substantial funding to support rural fire departments, and promoting agricultural research and development.
• Make generational investments in higher education, workforce training, and nutrition assistance.

"In conjunction with the bipartisan infrastructure deal, the Build Back Better Act will create millions of good-paying jobs, provide a strong foundation for increased economic growth, and ensure our communities and workers can compete and succeed in the 21st Century—and not a single American making less than $400,000 will have to pay a penny more in taxes," said Congressman Cleaver. "I'm proud to join my fellow Democrats in passing this visionary economic plan, and I look forward to all of the benefits it will bring to Missouri families, workers, and businesses alike."

The Build Back Better Act will now go to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

The full fact sheet with the Build Back Better Act's benefits for Missouri is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.