Doggett: Not time to stop short: Building a brighter, just future
2021 began with an attempt to overthrow our government, culminating in the deadly January 6th attack on our Capitol and ending the long American tradition of peacefully transitioning power. It continued with so many families encountering adversity.
Amid the most deadly pandemic in a century, as we attempted to quickly secure essential relief, we faced unrelenting Republican opposition. Not one Republican in Congress voted for the American Rescue Plan, adopted in March, which accelerated immunizations, provided emergency support for small businesses, delivered working families $1,400 per person, increased the Child Tax Credit, expanded child care and rental assistance, and provided funding for Austin and other local governments.
Despite continued obstruction, families began receiving payments one week after passage of the American Rescue Plan. Despite Texas Workforce delays and confusion, workers got unemployment insurance and paid sick leave. Last year’s impressive 5.6% economic growth rate indicates the success of this rescue plan.
Meanwhile, the House approved the Women's Health Protection Act, Justice in Policing Act, Equality Act, enhanced background checks for gun safety, American Dream and Promise Act, and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act. Unfortunately, what the pandemic could not stop a solid wall of Republican rejectionists halted—not even permitting debate or amendments on any of these important measures.
Still pending is the House-approved Build Back Better Act, which seeks to build a more just and productive America than what we had pre-pandemic. This bill aims to patch holes in our social safety net and carve a path for Americans to plan a brighter future with more opportunity for all in a healthier climate.
As Health Subcommittee Chair, I was successful in adding multiple provisions to this legislation. My top priority: Closing the coverage gap, created by Republican governors who previously refused federal funds and offering 2 million Texans access to a family physician. Adding hearing coverage to Medicare. Additionally, I secured tax incentives for combatting the climate crisis by going electric and worked to expand educational opportunity from pre-K to post-grad, especially by increasing student financial assistance and adopting my Tax Free Pell Grants Act. These are all part of the same, broad legislation that provides child care assistance and responds to the climate crisis. Yet again, Republican Senate opposition and the refusal of two Democratic senators to prevent their blockade are denying Austin families any benefit from these initiatives.
Yes, I had disappointments along the way. I sought Medicare coverage to include vision and dental, not just hearing. Congress was unable to overcome the stranglehold of Big Pharma to prevent prescription price gouging. Much more should have been done to reverse Trump tax law giveaways and to plug tax loopholes exploited by the ultra-wealthy. But limited with only a nominal Democratic majority, we still made significant progress.
I did obtain Republican co-sponsors for some bills I have authored, such as the Telehealth Extension Act to continue access to telehealth services, which have proven so important during the pandemic, while enacting new anti-fraud provisions. But overall, the more significant the legislation, the greater the unyielding Republican opposition.
Perhaps of greatest immediate importance is stopping voter suppression. Voting rights legislation named after my dear personal friend who fought his whole life for civil rights, John Lewis, together with the Freedom to Vote Act can ease barriers to participation by more Americans—ensuring that each is free to vote and have that vote fairly counted. We must install national guardrails on democracy before it permanently goes off the rails.
I enter this new year with determination to overcome obstruction and keep delivering on our progressive priorities. Our democracy is threatened by those who lie about covid, lie about climate, and lie about the attempted coup, but our active engagement can still build a stronger America.
Doggett, a Democrat, represents Austin in the U.S. House of Representatives.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Doggett: Not time to stop short: Building a brighter, just future
