Healthcare, housing and childcare: How the Build Back Better Act could impact Hispanic communities
A press conference was held on Monday highlighting how the House-passed Build Back Better Act would specifically impact Hispanic communities and families nationwide.
Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) joined Special Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Communications Director Pili Tobar and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to help answer questions.
House democrats have been celebrating the passage of the1.75 trillion dollar social spending bill. It includes money for expanded medicare, prescription drug reform, universal pre-k and hundreds of billions to fight climate change. It now heads to the Senate.
“The passage of the Build Back Better Act could not come at a better time,” said Ruiz.
Ruiz says the Act will help essential workers and Hispanic communities that have been disproportionally impacted by the pandemic, including those right here in the valley.
“The Build Back Better Act will help them succeed by putting money in their pockets through middle class tax cuts as well as cutting costs for the most expensive items in their budgets," he said.
Ruiz says healthcare, housing and childcare will become more affordable if the bill passes the Senate. He says the bill aims to ensure that families pay no more than 7% of their income on childcare. It also establishes universal pre-k so parents can get back to work: “This is particularly true for Latinas...who have borne the brunt of cuts in wages and unemployment than any other group in our nation."
The act also offers support for undocumented immigrants in the workforce. “The work permits and protections included in the House-passed Build Back Better Act will give immigrants peace of mind and help reunite families,” he said.
Unlike the infrastructure bill, the Build Back Better Act is currently lacking Republican support. The White House will have to find a way to get all 50 democratic senators on board if they want it to pass the Senate.
