REP. DEMINGS VOTES TO BUILD BACK BETTER

Press Release

Rep. Val Demings (FL-10) today voted for one of the largest middle class tax cuts in U.S. history as part of a fiscally-responsible plan to create new jobs and reduce the cost of essential services including health care, child care, senior care, education, and housing.

Said Rep. Demings, "Here's what you need to know: Build Back Better will cut your taxes, reduce your household costs, and create new jobs for Floridians, and it is fully paid for with no new taxes for middle class families. Our mission is clear: to put money in the pockets of working families, dramatically reduce the cost of things that keep Floridians up at night, and get people back to work. No new middle class taxes. No deficit increase. Just long overdue changes to make our economy fair for people who have to go to work every day.

"During the debate over this legislation, I thought of my parents, who played by the rules and worked hard as a maid, janitor, and in other odd jobs nearly every day of their lives. I thought of my own journey to become the first in my family to go to college, keeping track of every dollar and working fast food jobs to pay my way. That American Dream story is becoming out of reach for millions of Floridians. We need to rebuild an economy where hard work actually gets you ahead, not one where health care, child care, senior care, housing and education take every dollar you make.

"Our plan targets job creation and our supply chain, because working Floridians need an economy that works for them. It creates universal pre-k and will save most American families more than half of their current spending on child care. Build Back Better would significantly reduce health care costs, including reducing your premium by up to $800 per year, giving Medicare the power to cover hearing for the first time ever, covering hundreds of thousands of Floridians for the first time, giving Medicare new powers to negotiate down the cost of prescription drugs, and adding new out of pocket caps for prescription drugs, saving Floridians thousands of dollars.

"I have fought for months to secure the inclusion of $0 premium health insurance for hundreds of thousands of Floridians in the Medicaid gap. I have personally appealed to House, Senate, and administration leaders and made it clear that Floridians cannot continue to suffer and die due to lack of affordable health care. I am proud to take today's vote to help Florida families make ends meet, and I will keep fighting for passage through the Senate."

In addition to meetings and advocacy with colleagues in Congress, Rep. Demings led and joined numerous letters, press conferences, events, social media, and op-eds (Medicaid, immigration) calling for the inclusion of Medicaid coverage, immigration reform, and affordable housing support, and prescription drug price negotiation, all of which were successfully included in the Build Back Better plan.

The legislation also includes several provisions from legislation the Congresswoman introduced this week that will help stabilize the National Flood Insurance Program and make insurance more affordable for Florida homeowners.

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