Voters Want to Pass the Build Back Better Act Now
By Anika Dandekar and Ethan Winter
Invest in America and Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,214 likely voters from November 24 to 29, 2021 to test attitudes towards the Build Back Better Act, as passed by the House of Representatives on November 19th. Data for Progress has previously found overwhelming support for the legislation and each of its provisions. We also continue to see that the package remains popular, even after voters are told how it is paid for and are presented with opposition arguments.
Majority of Voters Still Believe it is Urgent to Pass the Build Back Better Act
We also asked voters if it is “urgent” or “not urgent” that Congress pass the Build Back Better Act, replicating the same question from a survey in mid-October. We find that voters remain on the side of urgency. On average, between the two surveys where urgency was tested, 52 percent of voters say it is urgent that the Build Back Better Act passes, while only 37 percent of voters say it is not urgent.
It is Important to Voters that Build Back Better Passes by End of December
We then asked voters whether it was important or unimportant to them that Congress passes the Build Back Better Act into law by the end of this year. With a +19-point margin, likely voters say it is important to them that the legislation becomes law before the new year. Democrats and Independents believe it is important that Build Back Better becomes law within this month by respective margins of +70 and +21 percentage points. Twenty-six percent of Republicans also think it is important that Build Back Better becomes law by the end of 2021, while 64 percent say it is unimportant to them.
The Build Back Better Act Consistently Receives Voters’ Majority Support
In our most recent polling, likely voters support the Build Back Better Act by a +27-point margin. Over the last month of polling, support for the Build Back Better Act has been, on average, 61 percent, while opposition to the bill is, on average, 31 percent. Support never dipped below 60 percent over the three surveys it was tested this month.
The Build Back Better Act Receives Majority Support when Pay-fors are Described
In our most recent polling, likely voters support the Build Back Better Act with a +28-point margin of support, after describing how it will be paid for. Support for the Build Back Better Act after a description of the pay-fors has been, on average, 62 percent, while opposition to the bill is, on average, 31 percent over the last month of polling.
Each Provision of the Build Back Better Act is Popular with Voters
As in our previous polling, we tested support for each provision of the Build Back Better Act. This time, we included each provisions’ price tags as well, based on the legislative text passed in the House of Representatives. Once again, we find that each provision of the Build Back Better Act receives at least plurality, if not majority, support from voters.
Investing $150 billion dollars to increase quality and access to long-term care of seniors and people with disabilities is supported by a margin of +57 percentage points. Spending $35 billion to expand Medicare coverage to include hearing care receives a +50-point margin of support. The currently allocated $175 billion for housing assistance, preservation, and construction is supported by a majority of voters, with a margin of +32 percentage points. Investing $40 billion to make higher education and workforce development more affordable is backed by +31-point margin. The $205 billion dollars set aside in the legislation to guarantee four weeks of paid family and medical leave for all workers is also supported by a majority of voters, with a +27-point margin. The largest piece of Build Back Better, the $555 billion to transition to clean energy and create American jobs, is backed by +26-point margin of support. With a +25-point margin, voters support investing $110 billion to create universal pre-k for all three and four year-olds. The $15 billion-dollar extension of the Earned Income Tax Credit receives majority support from voters, who back it by a margin +23 percentage points. An investment of $270 billion to ensure that no family spends more than 7% of their income on childcare receives a +16-point margin of support. The $120 billion allocated to expand tax credits for people who get their insurance through the Affordable Care Act is supported by a majority of voters, with a +14-point margin. With a plus-eight point margin, voters support spending $130 billion to extend the Child Tax Credit for a year.
Voters are more likely to Support the Build Back Better Act if Federal Government Could Regulate Drug Prices
We also asked voters if they would be more or less likely to support the Build Back Better Act if insulin prices were capped or Medicare could negotiate to lower the cost of prescription drugs. In both cases, overwhelming majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike would be more likely to support the Build Back Better Act.
Sixty-five percent of all voters — 75 percent of Democrats, 68 percent of Independents, and 53 percent of Republicans — would be more likely to support the legislation if it capped insulin prices to $35 dollars a month.
If, as a part of the Build Back Better Act, Medicare could negotiate to lower the costs of prescription drugs, 65 percent of all voters — 77 percent of Democrats, 67 percent of Independents, and 51 percent of Republicans — would be more likely to support the bill.
Majority of Voters Support the Build Back Better Act, Even After being Shown Argument Against its Passage
We asked voters which argument about the Build Back Better Act was closest to their view, between a supportive argument (one regarding “lowering costs” or one “creating jobs”) and an opposition argument. The two support arguments received virtually equal support overall and among Democrats and Independents. Among all voters, at least 52 percent agreed with the support argument, while at most 38 percent opposed. Among Democrats, 81 percent agreed with the support argument, while only nine percent percent opposed. Among Independents, at least 49 percent agreed with the support argument, while at most 38 percent opposed. Among Republicans, 27 percent agreed with the support argument regarding “lowering costs” and 21 percent agreed with the support argument “creating jobs;” 66 percent and 70 percent chose the opposition to those support arguments, respectively.
Toplines for this polling can be found here.
Anika Dandekar is a polling analyst at Data for Progress. You can email her at anika@dataforprogress.org
Ethan Winter (@EthanBWinter) is a senior analyst at Data for Progress. You can email him at ethan@dataforprogress.org.