After the House passed the Inflation Reduction Act, AFSCME President Lee Saunders praised the chamber for approving a bill that would set our nation on a brighter path.
The next stop for the landmark, Senate-approved measure – which will fight climate change, lower prescription drug prices and ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes – is the White House, where President Joe Biden will sign it into law soon.
In a statement released Friday, after the House passed the measure, Saunders laid out the various ways in which the bill would benefit everyday Americans. But his optimistic message was leavened with words of caution.
“We commend House legislators for working diligently to pass this vital legislation which sets our nation on a brighter path forward. This path is strengthened by steady, strong job growth, leading us to the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years,” Saunders noted.
“But make no mistake: We can easily be derailed if we don’t turn out to elect pro-worker lawmakers in this fall’s midterm elections. We know corporate-backed candidates want to roll back the progress of the past two years and further rig the system against workers. AFSCME members and all working people will not let that happen,” he added.
Before Congress began considering the bill, which was negotiated by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, Saunders called the proposal an “economic game changer” that would improve the lives of millions of Americans well into the future. Here are details about what’s in the bill.