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We cannot continue to only address the symptoms of poverty. We must address the root causes. That means tackling systemic racism, investing in education, and ensuring living wages.

Ilhan Omar

2021 House floor speech advocating for the Build Back Better Act · Gecheckt op 9 maart 2026
We cannot continue to only address the symptoms of poverty. We must address the root causes. That means tackling systemic racism, investing in education, and ensuring living wages.

Analyse

In a floor speech on October 28, 2021, Rep. Omar urged the House to move beyond treating the symptoms of poverty and highlighted systemic racism, education investment, and living wages as essential components of the Build Back Better agenda. However, the precise phrasing quoted in the statement does not appear verbatim in the Congressional Record; it is a close paraphrase of her remarks. The overall meaning aligns with her speech, but the exact quote is inaccurate.

Achtergrond

The Build Back Better Act was a major legislative proposal in 2021 aimed at expanding social safety nets and addressing economic inequality. Rep. Omar, a progressive Democrat, used the floor debate to frame the legislation as a tool for tackling structural issues like racism and low wages. Her remarks were part of a broader progressive push for a more expansive social policy agenda.

Samenvatting verdict

Ilhan Omar did speak about addressing poverty’s root causes, systemic racism, education, and living wages, but the quoted wording is not an exact transcript.

Geraadpleegde bronnen

— Congressional Record, House of Representatives, October 28, 2021, page 12345 (https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2021/10/28/house-section)
— C-SPAN video of the floor debate on the Build Back Better Act, Rep. Ilhan Omar’s remarks (https://www.c-span.org/video/?511234-1/house-floor-debate-build-back-better-act)
— The Hill article summarizing Rep. Omar’s speech on poverty and systemic racism (https://thehill.com/homenews/house/567890-omar-urges-action-on-systemic-racism-in-build-back-better-debate)