Joe Biden

What They are Reading in the States: From Detroit to Las Vegas, Local Media Outlets Report on the Impact of the Build Back Better Framework

November 01, 2021

Over the weekend, following the release of state-by-state fact sheets on President Biden's Build Back Better Framework, local media outlets across the country reported about the impact of the plan on working families.

The fact sheets highlight how the Build Back Better Framework will usher in transformative investments in climate, care, and kids, lower the costs of things families depend on, help people get back to work, and grow the economy.

See below for a sampling of what people are reading about the Build Back Better Framework in Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Arizona.

Detroit Free Press: White House explains why Biden's social spending plan is good for Michigan
[Todd Spangler, 10/29/21]

[…]

The Biden administration put out a fact sheet on Friday noting that the plan, which is currently being worked on in the U.S. House, could help provide more affordable child care for more than 600,000 Michigan children under the age of 5, for instance, and free public preschool to more than 200,000 3- and 4-year-olds in the state who don't have access to that now.

Those are just a couple of the benefits the plan, if enacted, includes that could help Michigan families. On Thursday, Biden, in unveiling the proposal, called it "a historic framework," even if it doesn't include programs like 12 weeks of paid family leave or two free years of community college as originally considered.

"No one got everything they wanted, including me," Biden said. "But that's what compromise is. ... Taken together (the items in the plan) are truly consequential."

And there is a ton in it, from continuation for a year of the expanded child tax credit currently in place, to billions in new funding to make housing available to low income families, to a new hearing benefit to be covered under Medicare and more.

Under the child care provision, the amount a family has to pay for child care would be capped at a percent of their income — a family of four making less than about $224,000 in Michigan would have to pay no more than 7% of its income — with government, through taxpayer funds, covering the rest.

Meanwhile, Michigan and its automakers could see their move toward selling more electric cars and trucks helped mightily by a package of proposals included in a $550 billion effort to fight climate change, among them:

  • Incentives of up to $12,500 off the price of a new electric vehicle made in the U.S. by union labor and made up of mostly domestically made content.
  • Incentives of up to $4,000 for the sale of previously owned electric plug-in vehicles.
  • Tax credits of up to 30% of the cost of commercial electric vehicles plus billions to purchase electric vehicles for the U.S. Postal Service and the rest of the federal fleet.
  • Incentives for installing electric vehicle charging equipment at workplaces and housing units, as well as retail outlets, especially in rural and disadvantaged communities, and programs to help provide tax credits to manufacturers that convert operations to clean technologies.
  • And that's just a sampling of what's in the mammoth bill. There's also $350 million for the purchase of a new Great Lakes icebreaker, billions for lead pipe remediation nationwide and new funding to invest in managing storm water like those that led to flooding this year in Michigan.

[….]

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: How Biden's social policy package could impact Georgia
[Greg Bluestein, 10/29/21]

President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion package to expand the nation's social system and combat climate change would overhaul the nation's healthcare, tax and education policies.

The White House on Friday released a framework for how the far-reaching law, which still must survive internal Democratic feuding and stiff GOP opposition, would affect Georgians.

The administration said the Build Back Better policy would provide access to child care for about 665,000 young children per year, along with universal pre-school for more than 193,000 additional 3- and 4-year-olds. About 150,000 more Georgia students a year would get access to free school meals.

It would increase maximum Pell Grant awards by $550 for students at public and private colleges and universities, which would go to roughly 200,000 students in Georgia who rely on the program. And 32 community colleges in the state could tap into grants to develop new workforce training programs.

The law would expand federal assistance for roughly 650,000 Georgians who are renting. And it would expand the Medicaid program to cover nearly 550,000 uninsured residents.

It would extend a child tax credit of $300 per month per child under six and provide a tax cut of up to $1,500 annually for low-wage workers in Georgia.

[….]

New Hampshire Union Leader: Biden spells out NH benefits of his $1.7 trillion plan
[Kevin Landrigan, 10/29/21]

Oct. 29—WASHINGTON — The Biden administration spelled out Friday how his proposed $1.7 trillion Build Back Better framework could deliver benefits to working families in New Hampshire.

The White House released its estimate for how many families in the state could be covered under these programs such as increased child care, benefits for preschool and a tax cut for low-income families.

"These investments will provide new learning opportunities for children, help parents and especially working parents make ends meet, and position the economy for stronger growth for years to come," the analysis said.

"The framework will create good-paying jobs for residents of New Hampshire, combating climate change, giving our kids cleaner air and water, and making America the leader in global innovation and 21st century manufacturing."

[…]

Here are some of the White House estimates provided to the Union Leader:

—Child care: Better access to affordable child care will benefit 67,154 young children (birth-to-age 5) from families of four that earn up to $290,358 a year as that represents 2.5 times the state's median family income.

—Free preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds: This will provide access to more than 24,092 additional children in the state. Currently, an estimated 13% of 3 and 4-year-olds have access to a taxpayer-paid, preschool program in the state.

—More affordable higher education: The plan would increase Pell Grant awards by $550 a year for 82,727 students in the state who now receive them.

—Increased school nutrition: The White House estimates its bill would provide access for free meals to an additional 13,000 students during the school year and give resources for the families of 45,190 students to purchase food over the summer.

—Medicaid Coverage Gap: This bill would expand Medicaid coverage and extend through 2025 the health insurance premium reductions for those who bought insurance on their own during the pandemic. The White House estimates this means 19,000 uninsured here would gain coverage and another 23,900 would continue save hundreds on their premiums each year.

—Earned Income Tax Credit: The plan would extend a tax cut of up to $1,500 for low-income families that Congress approved in the American Rescue Plan Act last spring. This change would affect 66,400 low-wage workers in the state, the White House said.

Raleigh News & Observer: What's in Biden's compromise spending plan, and how will it affect North Carolina?
[Brian Murphy, 10/28/21]

President Joe Biden released Thursday a new spending plan, significantly paring back the original bill and its price tag after some Senate Democrats balked.

The framework for the Build Back Better Act includes $1.85 trillion in spending — with nearly $1 trillion for child care and preschool and clean energy and climate investments — and nearly $2 trillion in revenue offsets, including a surtax on multi-millionaires and billionaires.

In states like North Carolina which have not expanded Medicaid to more low-income people, the White House said the compromise plan would make millions of those people eligible for tax credits to pay premiums on Affordable Care Act health insurance plans.

Currently, according to a White House statement, "A 40-year old in the coverage gap would have to pay $450 per month for benchmark coverage — more than half of their income in many cases. The framework provides individuals $0 premiums, finally making health care affordable and accessible."

[….]

The White House said it will not raise taxes on small business or anyone making less than $400,000 per year. In a statement, the White House said Biden "is confident this is a framework that can pass both houses of Congress."

[….]

Las Vegas Review Journal: Biden's social spending package would funnel more money to Nevada
[Gary Martin, 10/29/21]

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden's sweeping domestic policy package would provide Nevada with affordable homes, expand pre-K education for 65,895 children and increase Medicare coverage for 71,000 residents, according to White House figures released Friday.

Biden announced a framework for the Build Back Better legislation on Thursday following negotiations with moderate and progressive Democrats who are needed to pass the $1.7 trillion spending bill without Republican support.

According to the White House, the bill would "create good-paying jobs for residents of Nevada, combating climate change, giving our kids cleaner air and water, and making America the leader in global innovation and 21st century manufacturing."

Nevada's congressional Democrats support the social spending bill, along with a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that would provide $4 billion to the state for highway, bridges, airports, wildfire prevention and access to broadband internet services.

"This agenda is going to lower costs and cut taxes for hardworking families, and it's going to create good-paying jobs and boost Nevada's economy, including our critical travel, tourism, and hospitality industry," said Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.

Rosen also secured $50 million in grants for domestic tourism marketing that Nevada organizations could apply for and receive.

Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the spending package would "level the playing field for working families."

[….]

A White House breakdown by state of the social spending bill shows programs would:

— Provide access to affordable child care. The Build Back Better framework would enable Nevada to provide access to child care for 196,800 young children, and to expand access to free, high-quality preschool to more than 65,895 additional 3- and 4-year-olds per year.

— Make the largest effort to combat climate change in American history. From 2010 to 2020, Nevada experienced 12 extreme weather events, costing up to $1 billion in damages. The Build Back Better framework would set the United States on course to meet its climate targets—a 50-52 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels by 2030.

— Make education beyond high school more affordable and accessible, and increase maximum Pell Grant awards by $550 for students at public and private non-profit institutions, supporting the 31,636 Nevada students who receive the grants and invest in Nevada's seven minority-serving institutions.

— Prepare Nevada's workers for jobs in fast-growing sectors like public health, child care, manufacturing, information technology and clean energy. Community colleges in Nevada would have the opportunity to benefit from grants to develop and deliver innovative training programs and expand proven ones.

— Expand access to free school meals for an additional 48,000 students during the school year and provide 298,639 students with resources to purchase food over the summer.

— Expand rental assistance for Nevada renters, while also increasing the supply of high-quality housing through the construction and rehabilitation of over one million affordable housing units nationwide.

— Expand health care coverage under Medicare for 71,000 Nevada residents and lower costs for 47,100 people.

— Cut taxes for families and workers, extend Child Tax Credit increases of $300 per month per child under age, or $250/month per child ages 6 to 17.

Star Tribune: White House promises array of benefits for Minnesota in latest Build Back Better framework
[Stephen Montemayor, 10/29/21]

The Biden administration is touting what it describes as a host of benefits for Minnesota — ranging from child care and early education to tax cuts — that would be made possible by the president's Build Back Better framework.

The White House released a fact sheet Friday saying that the $1.75 trillion framework announced this week would "bring down costs that have held back families in Minnesota for decades by cutting taxes and making child care, home care, education, health care and housing more affordable."

The agenda highlights additional implications for early learning opportunities, jobs and attempts to turn back climate change.

The new framework released by the White House came after it became clear that a more wide-ranging and ambitious $3.5 trillion tax and spending plan didn't have the swing votes in the Senate that it needed to pass.

[….]

On Friday, the White House outlined a list of 10 benefits in the plan for Minnesota. It said the Build Back Better framework would open access to child care for 383,600 children up to 5 years old and would expand access to universal, free preschool for more than 162,000 3- and 4-year-olds.

The agenda calls for raising maximum Pell Grant awards by $550 for students at public and private nonprofit institutions, and for training programs for jobs in fast-growing sectors. It also grants access to free school meals to 3,000 more students and adds food in the summer.

The White House said the framework's plan to put the country on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in nine years to about 50% below 2005 levels could help forestall extreme weather events that have cost Minnesota $10?billion in damages in the past decade. Omar pointed out Friday that the package included her bill to transition away from toxic landfills.

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith on Friday hailed the framework for addressing a top priority of hers — climate change — "by reducing carbon emissions and putting the United States at the forefront of the clean energy transition that will create jobs and new opportunities."

The administration said that about 39,000 uninsured Minnesotans would get health coverage under the new framework. And it promises tax benefits: it would extend the Child Tax Credit's $250 to $300 monthly increases and allow families most in need to continue receiving the full tax credit. It includes a tax cut of up to $1,500 for 276,000 low wage workers via an extension of the American Rescue Plan's Earned Income Tax Credit expansion.

Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., is behind a bill to create a federal reinsurance program that's included in the package. She said Friday that both the infrastructure and Build Back Better plans would "create millions of good-paying jobs across Minnesota and across the country." She noted that the bill was not yet final and said she would "keep fighting" to lower drug costs in the House version.

"It's a damn shame that there aren't enough people in this town willing to stand up to Big Pharma and other special interests to lower the cost of prescription drugs for our constituents," Craig said.

NJ.com: What Biden's latest spending proposal means for N.J.
[Jonathan Salant, 10/31/21]

Congress could vote this week on two major spending bills that would spend $1 trillion on infrastructure and has Republican support, and spend $1.75 trillion to fight climate change, increase health coverage and expand child care and would be approved only with Democratic votes.

For New Jersey, the infrastructure bill has at least $12.3 billion, plus accounts to tap for the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River.

The second bill, the framework of which was announced by President Joe Biden on Thursday, also contains funding for the Garden State, including tax cuts for families and funds to lower the cost of child care and health insurance.

The framework, however, does not address the Republican tax law's $10,000 cap on deducting state and local taxes, a provision that disproportionately affected New Jersey and other high-tax states, but several Garden State lawmakers said they expected a provision to be added to the final legislation before it passes Congress.

Here are the provisions for New Jersey that are in the Biden proposal:

Child tax credit. Biden's proposal includes a one-year extension of the expanded child tax credit for lower- and middle-class families of $300 a month for children under 6 or $250 a month for those aged 6-17.

The initial credit was part of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus law, passed over unanimous Republican opposition, and was projected to bring 89,000 New Jersey children out of poverty, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive research group.

"By putting up to $300 per child each month into the bank accounts of millions of families across New Jersey and our nation, we will make a historic investment in our children that will change life trajectories and have a ripple effect for generations to come," said U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, who has helped lead the effort to extend the tax credit.

Day care. Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Ben Samuels Children's Center at Montclair State University in Little Falls Oct. 8 to highlight efforts to reduce the cost of day care. The average annual cost of day care for a toddler in New Jersey is $14,954, and with two young children that means the average family is paying 23% of its income on child care, the White House said. Under the proposal, those earning less than 2.5 times the state's median income of $308,575 for a family of four would pay no more than 7% of their income on child care.

Flood insurance. The proposal would forgive $20.5 billion in debts that the National Flood Insurance Program has accumulated, while also funding new flood maps and helping cover the premium costs for homeowners with income up to 120% of their area's median.

Health care. An additional 88,000 New Jersey residents would receive health coverage and another 113,000 would see their premiums drop.

Higher education. The proposed legislation would increase the maximum Pell grant by $550, helping the 122,469 students who receive such help to pay tuition costs. There also is funding for the state's 24 minority serving institutions.

Job training. Federal grants that 18 community colleges in the state can compete for would fund new job training programs in fields such as information technology, health and clean energy.

More tax cuts. As many as 388,400 low-wage workers in New Jersey without children would receive a tax cut of as much as $1,500 by extending the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit.

Offshore drilling. The proposal permanently bans oil drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. "There's simply no logical reason to put our coastal communities along the Jersey Shore at risk with unnecessary and dangerous drilling," said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Preschool. On Monday's trip to New Jersey, Biden stopped at the East End Elementary School in North Plainfield to visit some pre-kindergarten classes. The spending plan will allow an additional 144,670 3- and 4-year-olds in the state to attend preschool.

School lunches. An additional 177,000 New Jersey students would be eligible for free meals and 594,207 students would be able to obtain food during the summer months when they're not in school. One in 10 New Jersey children do not have enough to eat, the White House said.

Wind power. There is $100 million for the U.S. Department of Energy and $600 million for the Maritime Administration to help the development of offshore wind, which the Garden State is already working on. "We are definitely ahead of the line in deploying offshore wind," said Ed Potosnak, head of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters.

That's part of the Biden administration's effort to combat climate change, which has been blamed for contributing to more intense storms. According to the White House, New Jersey experienced 23 extreme weather events from 2010 to 2020, costing as much as $50 billion in damages.

ABC15 (Arizona): President Biden's Build Back Better plan can help Arizona -- will it pass?
[Mark Phillips, 10/29/21]

PHOENIX — President Joe Biden outlined a scaled down Build Back Better plan Thursday, with the $1.75 trillion social and climate spending package being called historic even though it remains unclear whether there are enough votes in Congress to pass it.

There are some winners and losers; that's what happens when you trim a bill originally priced at $6 trillion and cut it down to just under $2 trillion.

In Arizona, some of the biggest winners will be the more than 188,000 children, 3- and 4-year-olds, who will be able to attend universal pre-K.

"We know that when you invest $1 in our students at that age there is a $7 return on your investment. So that's huge," says teacher Katie Nash.

Nash is also the mother of two school-aged children and the extension of the child tax credit for another year is really important to her.

"Because of the child tax credit, I was able to get glasses for both my daughters. One of my daughters is able to get some mental health support this way. Seeing it extended through 2022 is going to be life-changing for many of our families," Nash said.

Fighting the effects of climate change is also a key component of the plan; $550 billion will be dedicated to clean energy and climate change.

"That's a lot of money," says Progress Now Arizona Director Emily Kirkland. "Here in Arizona, that could mean tons of clean energy jobs and it could mean preventing some of the worst impacts of extreme heat and wildfires and droughts."

Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who has been involved in the negotiations, signaled her support, saying, "We have made significant progress on the proposed budget reconciliation package. I look forward to getting this done, expanding economic opportunities and helping everyday families get ahead."

"This framework will address a number of Arizona priorities, from creating more renewable energy jobs and cutting taxes for middle class families, to lowering costs for health care and child care," said Senator Mark Kelly.

Mayor Cathy Carlat of Peoria and Mayor John Giles of Mesa, both Republicans, endorsed the plan.

[….]

Joseph R. Biden, What They are Reading in the States: From Detroit to Las Vegas, Local Media Outlets Report on the Impact of the Build Back Better Framework Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/353181

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