In Coalition with National Organizations, IFPTE Urges Congress and President Biden Include Medicare Expansion, Drug Price Negotiation, and Tax Fairness

This week, IFPTE joined other labor unions and and national organizations representing a cross-section of American people and communities in requesting lawmakers and President Biden maintain key priorities in the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation bill.

On Wednesday, IFPTE and over 60 organizations sent a letter organized by Public Citizen to Senate Majority Leader Shuck Schumer and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to request that they maintain provisions to allow Medicare drug price negotiation in the Build Back Better Act. The letter reminded the House and Senate leaders that this policy has overwhelming support from Americans. On Friday, another coalition letter led by Public Citizen was sent to President Biden to request he continue to support his Build Back Better agenda’s provisions on Medicare drug price negotiation, expanding Medicare benefits to include dental care, and to fair taxation policies.

Finally, IFPTE joined a letter organized by Americans for Tax Fairness requesting Congress pass the Billionaires Income Tax proposal. This tax would ensure that America’s 700 billionaires, who saw their wealth increase by $1.8 trillion during the first 17 months of the pandemic, pay a fair share on their share on increases in tradable assets.

While committees in the House of Representatives have approved a text of the Build Back Better Act, Members of House and Senate as well as the White House continue to negotiate a bill that will have the support to pass Congress and be enacted. The Build Back Better Act is the budget reconciliation bill that includes a number of Biden Administration priorities on physical and social infrastructure that would potentially result in millions of new jobs.

Separately, IFPTE has been has requested Senate negotiations on the Build Back Better Act ensure retirement savings options are not taken away from IFPTE members and middle-class workers.

Read the coalition letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Medicare Drug Price negotiation here.

Read the coalition letter to President Biden on maintaining drug price negotiation, fair taxation of corporations and the ultra-wealthy, and Medicare benefit expansion here.

Read the letter to Congress urging the inclusion of the Billionaires Income Tax here.