Building Back Better with Health Care, Family Care and Climate

Another Step Toward Building Back Better
This week, Democrats took a momentous step toward achieving our Build Back Better agenda. House Democrats were honored by a visit at the U.S. Capitol from President Biden yesterday, where he shared his vision with the Build Back Better Framework and reaffirmed his support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework. Together, this legislation is transformational – seizing this once-in-a-century moment to create jobs, cut taxes and lower costs for nearly every family, in the Bay Area and beyond. With these historic investments in every community across our country, we will rebuild our nation's infrastructure, help women rejoin the workforce, lift up working families, tackle the climate crisis, unleash a decade of economic growth and secure a brighter future for our children.

The Build Back Better Framework, which has secured broad support among Democrats in both chambers of Congress, will:

• Save families on the costs of caregiving, with child care, universal pre-K, home health care needs and more
• Put us on a path to meet the President's ambitious climate goal of cutting carbon pollution in half by 2030
• Reduce health insurance premiums for more than nine million Americans, while securing health care coverage for four million uninsured people
• Delivers one of the biggest middle class tax cuts ever, including with expansions of the Biden Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit

This Framework is not only fully paid for, but it will reduce the deficit – simply by asking the wealthiest few and corporations to pay their fair share. No one making under $400,000 will pay a penny more in taxes. If we want to build an economy that works for everyone, we cannot go back to how things were before the pandemic struck; we need transformative investments in our children and our future. Congress must remain committed to Building Back Better with a stronger, fairer, more competitive and sustainable economy for generations to come.

12th Anniversary of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Twelve years ago, our nation made historic progress when, after decades of relentless activism, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act finally became the law of the land. Forged in anguish after the brutal murders of Matthew and James, this landmark law stands as a pillar of civil rights: ensuring justice for the millions of Americans at risk of violence simply for who they are, where they are from, how they pray or who they love. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act represents a momentous milestone on the long journey toward justice, alongside the Civil Rights Act of 1964, repeal of ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and the Obergefell decision. While with these actions our nation has taken important strides, there remains more work ahead to finally end the scourges of racism, homophobia, transphobia and bigotry.

Today, Democrats are proudly carrying on the fight for liberty and justice for all. Building on this law's progress, the Democratic Congress enshrined into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act in May, which empowers state and local governments with the resources to prevent and prosecute heinous hate crimes. And we will not relent until our House-passed Equality Act is finally enacted so that we can make real the promise of full equality for the LGBTQ community and every American. As we commemorate this anniversary, let us vow to continue to tear down barriers to justice, root out hatred wherever it takes hold and build a fairer future for generations to come.

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, Help Is Here! Make sure you get your Rescue Plan benefits today.

Keeping Ahead of COVID in San Francisco
The FDA has authorized a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines for eligible populations. As we continue to fight the pandemic, you can get vaccinated and continue to take precautions to keep you and your loved ones safe. Find out where your local free vaccination sites are here, as well as at select SFUSD schools. Learn about free testing options in San Francisco here. California also announced a digital vaccination portal which can be accessed here.

San Francisco State University is offering 10 scholarships to fully fund four years of tuition to the University through the SF State Vaccine Scholarship Program. San Francisco residents ages 12 to 17 who receive the COVID-19 vaccine and register at participating vaccination locations in the city.

Flu season is here. The San Francisco Department of Public Health strongly recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu vaccine to safeguard their health, with the start of a flu season that overlaps with COVID-19 this year.

Congressional App Challenge
Calling all current middle school and high school students! The deadline to submit an app for the Congressional App Challenge is Monday, November 1st. Register here: congressionalappchallenge.us/students/student-registration/