SPRINGFIELD – United States Congressman Richard Neal shared insights from the House of Representative’s approval of the $1.2 trillion Build Back Better Act during a press conference on Nov. 19.

The act, which Neal considered “long overdue for the nation,” endured extensive debate in the House of Representatives over the preceding week. In his final address to the House’s minority leader, Neal said he quoted historic Massachusetts Rep. Daniel Webster to reflect on the process. “We’re measured by what we might do in our time, and last night and with the infrastructure bill, we’ve did something worthwhile in our time,” said Neal.

Neal then detailed the background behind the act’s contents. The representative shared that most of the legislation for the act was written since the CARES Act in Spring 2020. The act’s passage represented a bipartisan effort in Congress, with Neal revealing that 19 Republicans in the senate and 14 Republicans in the house supported the initiative.

The congressman explained that the act will create jobs, lower health care costs and support families amidst the nation’s recovery from the pandemic. Neal considered paid family leave one of the act’s most essential provisions, citing its importance in allowing women to manage career and family aspirations. “There were a lot of women who had to choose between work and childcare as schools closed…we think that paid family leave for one month will help out,” said Neal.

Neal also discussed the child tax credit provision, which he said has helped cut child poverty rates in the country by 30 percent. Along with that provision, the Build Back Better Act also includes an ACA (Affordable Care Act) premium tax credit to help with health insurance and negotiated drug prices to reduce the cost of medicine such as insulin. “Insulin will be allocated based on nothing more than $35 a month, that’s a huge success,” said Neal.

From a career perspective, Neal believes the act will create up to 2 million jobs for the nation, along with providing innovations in trade asset programs to accelerate employment. The representative also discussed provisions that will help subsidize the cost of the act. “We estimate by investing $80 million in the Internal Revenue Service, we expect that will return at least $400 billion over the next 10 years,” said Neal.

Neal said that negotiations for the act were cordial, calling the week of the act’s House approval one of his best moments as a representative. He detailed how the act will proceed after its initial approval. Discussions are now occurring in the Senate with the goal of having President Joe Biden sign the act in before the end of the year. On a local level, Neal said he hope to utilize the act to continue discussions on the East-West rail.

“It’s a really terrific piece of substantive work,” said Neal.