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Statement

Moms Tell Congress: Pass Traditional Infrastructure and Build Back Better Bills Now

November 4, 2021
Paid Family & Medical Leave, Maternal Mortality, Early Care & Education, Federal Budget, Health Care

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO, and the Executive Team at MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the imperative for Congress to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Build Back Better Reconciliation bills now:

“America’s moms and families are counting on Congress to pass both the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Build Back Better packages without delay. We need to invest in roads and bridges and also help families, businesses, and our economy thrive, which requires paid family/medical leave, investments in child care and home-and community-based services, improved access to health care including maternal health, reductions in prescription drug prices, a fully refundable Child Tax Credit, and living wages and lasting protections  for immigrants, many of whom are essential to our care and construction workforce.

“Improvements to both traditional and human infrastructure are essential to our country’s success. On Tuesday, voters in Virginia, New Jersey, and across the country sent the message that continued paralysis is unacceptable.

Voters want, and the country needs, real progress now.

America’s moms support Speaker Pelosi’s plan to bring both these bills to a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives this week.

“MomsRising members have generated unprecedented levels of activity, making more than 870,000 contacts with members of Congress in support of the Build Back Better package and its paid family/medical leave, child care, and expanded Child Tax Credit provisions. Their engagement has been remarkable and speaks to how well moms understand that relief is not possible without the policies these bills will provide.

“Passage of these essential bills has been slowed and complicated by unified Republican opposition to many of the Build Back Better policies their constituents need. But it’s time for Democrats to overcome that. Moms want Congress to send both bills to President Biden to sign without delay and without removing any of their essential provisions. Moms, families, businesses, and our economy are counting on lawmakers to get this done now.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.