Press Releases

November 18, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves as Chair of Congress’ Joint Economic Committee and as a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, spoke this afternoon during House Floor debate on the Build Back Better Act.

His remarks as delivered follow below [video with subtitles here]:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support the Build Back Better Act.

This bill finally makes it clear that government’s most important responsibility is to give every American the possibility for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The Build Back Better Act makes the boldest action to fight the existential crisis of climate change.

It contains some of the most important benefits for American families ever contemplated by Congress: lowering drug prices, paid family leave, affordable child care and health care, universal pre-Kindergarten, and the extended child tax credit.

Mr. Speaker, this bill will boost our economy in the best and strongest way, by investing in our workforce and increasing labor force participation.

It will create long term structural benefits for our economy that strengthen our supply chains, reduce the effects that drive up energy prices, and restrain inflation.

Along with the recently enacted infrastructure bill, it will create millions of jobs.

A vote for the Build Back Better Act is a vote for sustained, long term economic growth that will benefit generations of Americans.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes, and I yield back.”