Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02) spoke with Hallie Jackson on MSNBC this afternoon to discuss the Build Back Better Act.
Click here to watch the full interview and find excerpts of Rep. Pocan’s remarks below.
“Many of the issues are very close to being resolved. There are a few things that publicly we know are still being talked about. Everyone’s working towards getting this resolution. And it’ll be ready when it’s ready. The most important thing is we get the right items in it, not necessarily what day of the week it passes.”
“One of the most important is the childcare provision that no one pays more than 7% of their income. I think that’s very solid, I think the Child Tax Credit’s very solid. That’s a tax break for 40 million American families, there’s a lot that’s really strong that will be in this bill.”
“[Medicare expansion] should be in there, and I think that’s what we’re still trying to do is make sure it’s in there. My mom’s 92, and she’s in a nursing home, and I know many of her friends and have grown up with people who, if you have issues with your vision, or your teeth, or your ears, that’s a health issue, like anything else, and it should be covered. So, for all the reasons I just stated, it should be there. And if someone’s trying to take it out, I’d really like to hear a strong reason why we should take it out.”
“I haven’t been throwing lines down on this, because what I’m trying to do is negotiate and get to a deal.”
“All I care about is getting the right elements in the bill, and it’ll be done when it’s done. Other than – I’m a J school major, so I appreciate you asking that question, I get asked that several times a day – but you know what, no one in my district actually asks that question, they just want to know if they’re going to have their childcare paid for it with only 7% of their income, so I’m focusing on what’s in the bill.”
“Yeah, I think, one thing I’ve learned in nine years of Congress is that we only operate on deadlines, I think that’s why they get thrown out there. But in reality, what I care about is that we get the right things in the bill. We’re so close. Let’s just get it across the finish line in a way that benefits the most Americans possible.”
“The President has been nothing but bluntly honest with us when we’ve been meeting with him, and he said his agenda is still his agenda. He had a $6 trillion package, and he will continue to fight for all those things, even if they don’t show up in these bills, he’s going to keep doing that the rest of his presidency, and I trust him on his word.”
