Rep. Roybal-Allard: New Fact Sheet Highlights How Democrats' Build Back Better Framework Will Deliver for CA Families

Statement

Today, U.S. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) highlighted a new fact sheet from the White House outlining how the Democrats' Build Back Better framework will meet the urgent needs of California families. As the nation continues its battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, working California families are facing skyrocketing costs of child care, health care, home- and community-based care, early and higher education, housing, and more. The Build Back Better framework will make transformative investments that will address these needs while also ensuring that the wealthiest American citizens and corporations pay their fair share of costs.

"For far too long, California families have been held back by the soaring costs of necessities from child care to health care, education, and much more," said Rep. Roybal-Allard. "Democrats' Build Back Better framework -- which we will soon enact into law -- will deliver real results for our state and the entire nation, including millions of good-paying jobs and historic tax cuts so more families can access opportunities to thrive and succeed."

As outlined in the White House fact sheet, the plan will include investments in:

Child care: The average annual cost for child care for an infant in California is $17,384, meaning that on average, a California family with two young children spends 30 percent of their income on child care a year. The Build Back Better framework will expand access for 2.2 million California children and ensure that no family across the state pays more than seven percent of their income on child care.
Early education: Only 3 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds in California have access to publicly funded pre-K, while the average cost of private pre-K in the state is $8,600. The Build Back Better framework will expand access to free, high-quality pre-K to more than 849,000 additional 3- and 4-year-olds per year and increases the quality of preschool for children who are already enrolled, setting children up for lifelong success and saving their parents thousands of dollars.
Health care: By closing the Medicaid gap, expanding Medicare to include hearing care, and extending relief for insurance purchased through the ACA, the Build Back Better framework will help 419,000 uninsured Californians gain coverage. 451,100 Californians will save hundreds of dollars per year on average. In addition, home health care for elderly parents or loved ones with disabilities will be more affordable and accessible.
Lower taxes: Before Democrats secured the expanded Biden Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan, 19 percent of Californians under the age of 18 lived in poverty. The Build Back Better framework will extend this life-changing tax cut and continue our historic progress toward reducing child poverty.
Climate impacts: California has experienced 16 extreme weather events from 2010 to 2020, which has cost up to $50 billion to $100 billion in damages. By reducing carbon pollution, bolstering community resilience and strengthening the American clean energy economy, the Build Back Better framework will create good-paying union jobs, advance environmental justice and cut down on the steep costs of recovery.
The Build Back Better framework will also make generational investments in higher education, workforce training, affordable housing, and nutrition assistance.
"The transformational investments in our families, our workers and our climate outlined in the Build Back Better framework will help us rebuild a strong and inclusive economy in which working families and communities of color can succeed," Rep. Roybal-Allard continued. "The investments will also help advance justice, equity and opportunity and ensure that America can remain competitive on the world stage for decades to come."

The full fact sheet on how the Build Back Better framework will assist California families is available here.

Source