November 9, 2021•Advocacy Matters
Build Back Better Legislation
Disability Matters with Joyce Bender
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
#AdvocacyMatters Segment
Build Back Better Legislation
The Build Back Better legislation may come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives next week. Negotiations are still going on but there is a framework for the legislation.
Build Back Better is legislation that will help more people access health and mental health coverage through the Affordable Care Act, help more children attend preschool, enable more Americans to join and remain in the labor force, and make historic investments in services and programs for people with disabilities.
This overall package is the most far-reaching investment in people with disabilities, children, and families in a generation.
There is an investment of $150 billion over 10 years in home and community-based services. This is a historic investment to strengthen existing programs, eliminate waiting lists through Medicaid and improve pay and working conditions for direct support care workers.
Build Back Better will make Money Follows the Person permanent to help people with disabilities leave institutional settings and move into the community with supports.
There is free universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds with funding for 6 years.
There is an investment in 138,000 new housing vouchers to help people with disabilities access affordable and accessible housing.
There is a guarantee of 4 weeks of paid family and medical leave for all workers.
There is a one-year extension of the American Rescue Plan Child Tax Credit. This will impact more than 35 million American households, with
monthly payments totaling $3,600 per year per child for households earning up to $150,000 per year.
The bill will allow Medicare to expand to include a hearing benefit.
To view the sections of the Build Back Better legislation, visit disabilityrightspa.org and click on today’s #AdvocacyMatters segment.
#AdvocacyMatters.
We need your help to push Build Back Better over the finish line and ensure the social service infrastructure package keeps the important provisions for people with disabilities.
The Arc has an easy way to contact your legislators to support Build Back Better. Please act today.