For Immediate Release: November 19, 2021
Contact: Renee Alves, 559-916-5939
Charleston, WV – This morning, The US House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act. “This is a huge step forward to increasing opportunity, reducing poverty, and shrinking racial inequities for West Virginia children, families, and workers,” said Sean O’Leary, acting executive director. “If enacted, the Build Back Better Act will help people get health coverage, afford stable housing, food, and child care for their children, and meet other basic needs. We urge Senators Manchin and Capito to support the bill and help get it quickly over the finish line.”
Build Back Better would spur a historic reduction in child poverty and a marked decrease in child hunger. It would provide affordable, quality health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. It would expand access to stable, affordable housing at a time when housing instability and houselessness are a reality for far too many in West Virginia. And it would strengthen families and help parents stay in the labor force by reducing the cost of child care, expanding free access to universal pre-K, and providing paid family and medical leave. Together, these investments will narrow racial disparities that are rooted in our nation’s long history of racism and discrimination.
Further, the bill is fully paid for by provisions designed to make sure corporations and the wealthy pay more of their fair share in taxes. That makes this bill a great deal for West Virginia families.
As the US Senate takes up Build Back Better, time is of the essence: If Congress fails to pass BBB by the end of the year, improvements to the Child Tax Credit – which is successfully helping tens of millions of families with kids cover the cost of raising children – will expire. Families will see their credit reduced or eliminated entirely, and payments of up to $300 per child, per month that families are using to meet basic needs will stop after December 15. With costs of everyday essentials rising, West Virginia families are counting on Congress to not take away this lifeline.
We urge Senators Manchin and Capito to support the Build Back Better Act, which will advance racial and economic justice and improve West Virginians’ lives. The sooner they pass the Build Back Better Act, the sooner families in our state will benefit from its important investments.
