The Build Back Better Act would be life-changing for Hawaiʻi’s children and families. We’re incredibly disappointed to hear that Representative Ed Case is again trying to delay a vote on this bill, according to a letter he sent this morning.

We’re calling on Rep. Case to stop blocking the Build Back Better Act. This transformative bill would make child care affordable, provide free pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds, ensure kids have nutritious meals, and help working-class families make ends meet.

The Build Back Better Act addresses critical community needs, and its provisions are long-overdue. High-quality early learning is critical for young children’s development, and affordable child care is critical to our economic recovery and vitality. Giving families up to $300 per month, per child, through the Child Tax Credit has already proven invaluable this year. Hawaiʻi families are overwhelmingly using this cash to make ends meet by paying for food, school supplies, and other basic needs.

As Rep. Case knows, the package would be fully paid for by getting the wealthiest individuals and corporations to pay their fair share in taxes. No one making under $400,000 would pay more in taxes — in fact, the plan contains tax cuts for most families.

We thank Senator Brian Schatz, Senator Mazie Hirono, and Representative Kai Kahele for their steadfast support of Build Back Better. We urge Rep. Case to listen to voters in his district who are clearly calling for his support of these crucial provisions — and will remember his decision in the 2022 election.