The White House maintained that President Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda, which passed the House of Representatives Friday morning and is headed to the Senate, will not add to the deficit — despite the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office score stating the contrary.
The CBO estimated Thursday that Biden’s social spending bill will add $367 billion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years, without counting potential revenue from an IRS tax enforcement crackdown that White House officials claim will cover the remaining cost.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday said that many experts on both sides of the aisle have said that the "IRS enforcement is not something that there's a lot of experience in the CBO scoring."
White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday said that many experts on both sides of the aisle have said that the "IRS enforcement is not something that there's a lot of experience in the CBO scoring."
House Democrats on Friday celebrated the passage of a sweeping $1.75 trillion tax and spending plan that makes up the bulk of President Biden's economic agenda, billing the measure as "transformational," even as it faces an uphill battle – and looming changes – in the Senate.
The bill is "monumental, it's historic, it's transformative, it's bigger than anything we've ever done," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a press conference shortly after the bill's passage, 220 to 213, on Friday morning. She was accompanied by six fellow House Democrats, including Rep. Richard Neal, chair of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.
But the legislation still has a difficult road ahead in the 50-50 Senate, where Democratic leaders must ensure that every member of the caucus votes in lockstep.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is going to brief reporters soon following the House passage of Democrats' massive social spending bill.
The White House is touting the passage of the bill as a major win for the president's economic agenda, but the bill still faces a difficult road ahead in the Senate.
{{#rendered}}Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Friday that Senate Democrats will "strengthen" their massive reconciliation spending bill, a statement that could foreshadow disagreement between him and Senate moderates.
“I applaud Democrats in the House of Representatives for uniting to pass the Build Back Better Act. Now the legislation comes to the Senate where I hope to see it strengthened in a number of ways," Sanders said.
Sanders listed policies he wishes to see addressed, including prescription drugs, covering vision care in Medicare, and putting more climate-related provisions in the bill.
"The Senate has an opportunity to make this a truly historic piece of legislation. We will listen to the demands of the American people and strengthen the Build Back Better Act," Sanders said.
Moderates including Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., meanwhile want to shrink the bill.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Friday that she does not think Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., or Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., want to be the reason the reconciliatio bill fails.
"I think it would be very, very difficult for any Democrat of any background to be the sole no vote to tank this for the entire country," she said, according to Fox News' Caroline McKee. "You know, I think that there are limits to even what some of these folks would be willing to do."
Ocasio-Cortez also said that Senate Democrats should overrule the Senate parliamentarian if they get a ruling they don't like, calling such rulings merely guidance, according to Fox New's Chad Pergram.
President Biden Friday morning touted the passage of Democrats' massive reconciliation spending bill as a "giant step" forward for his agenda, and said he hopes the Senate will pass the bill "soon" as well.
"Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act to take another giant step forward in carrying out my economic plan to create jobs, reduce costs, make our country more competitive, and give working people and the middle class a fighting chance," Biden said.
The president also argued that the bill won't add to the deficit -- conflicting what the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said -- and said it won't increase inflation.
"It reduces the deficit over the long-term. It’s fully paid for by making sure that the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share in federal taxes," Biden said. "It keeps my commitment that no one earning less than $400,000 a year will pay a penny more in federal taxes."
He added: "Leading economists and independent experts on Wall Street have confirmed that it will not add to inflationary pressures. Instead, it will boost the capacity of our economy and reduce costs for millions of families."
Biden closed by saying he hopes the bill passes the Senate "soon... so I can sign it into law."
{{#rendered}}White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that President Biden called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after the House passed Democrats' reconciliation bill after months of negotiations.
".@POTUS called @SpeakerPelosi this morning to congratulate her on the passage of Build Back Better," Psaki tweeted.
House lawmakers voted to pass President Biden’s expansive spending bill Friday despite opposition from Republicans and lingering questions about the White House’s claim that the cost of its policies will be fully covered.
The vote was 220-213 with Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, the only Democrat breaking with his party to oppose the bill.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, aimed to vote on the bill Thursday night but House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., delivered a marathon, scathing floor speech, that lasted more than eight-and-a-half hours and forced the vote to Friday. He said Democrats are "out of touch" with ordinary Americans as he railed against the bill.
"From bank surveillance to bailouts, this bill takes the problems President Biden and Democrats have already created and makes them much, much worse," McCarthy said.
McCarthy's speech was the longest floor speech in House of Representatives history, surpassing a speech Pelosi gave in 2018.
Rep. Jared Golden was the only Democrat to vote against his party's massive reconciliation spending bill on Friday morning, citing tax breaks for rich people in the bill among the reasons he opposes this version of it.
"I will be voting no tonight," Golden, D-Maine, said Thursday before Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., forced the House to postpone the vote to Friday with a marathon speech.
"[B]ut that doesn't mean I will oppose a final version of this bill if some meaningful changes are made to this legislation," he continued.
{{#rendered}}Democrats and Republicans on the House floor were loud and raucus Friday morning as they voted on President Biden's massive reconciliation spending bill, which passed by a final vote of 220-213.
When the total number of votes ticked above the 218 Democrats needed to pass the bill, a group of Democrats on the House floor started cheering and clapping.
They were interrupted by Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., who was announcing proxy votes on behalf of other members. She said the House was "not in order," forcing the speaker to get the celebrating Democrats to calm down.
Cammack proceeded to say she is voting "hell no" on the bill, as she was jeered by Democrats.
Some Democrats also took advantage of their proxy votes to make comments on the floor.
"I will proudly vote for the future, for fairness, and for justice, for turning America around, for finally passing a bill for the regular people of America and putting American on a new track," Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said on the floor to cheers from fellow Democrats.
House Democrats passed President Biden's massive reconciliation spending bill on Friday morning by a vote of 220-213.
Moderate and progressive Democrats negotiated over the bill for months but eventually came to a deal on legislation that has a price tag of just over half of the $3.5 trillion progressives demanded.
The bill will now go to the Senate, where it is expected to be changed significantly before going back to the House either in December or early next year.
House Democrats Friday morning defeated a Republican "motion to recommit" and moved to a final passage vote on their massive reconciliation spending bill.
A "motion to recommit" is a common procedural tactic by the minority in the House which if successful would send a bill on the floor back to committee. But majorities almost always defeat such motions, as Democrats did 220-208 Friday.
The vote to pass the reconciliation bill started at 9:11 a.m. Friday.
{{#rendered}}Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, announced Friday that he will vote against Democrats' massive reconciliation spending bill.
The announcement was not a surprise -- Golden indicated for weeks he was not happy with how the bill was shaping up and was considered to be one of the Democrats most likely to defect on the vote for months.
"I will be voting no tonight, but that doesn’t mean I will oppose a final version of this bill if some meaningful changes are made to this legislation," in the Senate, Golden said.
Democrats can only lose three votes and still pass the bill. But it is still expected to pass Friday -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is known for not bringing bills to the floor unless she knows she has the votes.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi D-Calif., said on the House floor Friday morning that Democrats are making history by passing their massive reconciliation spending bill.
"In his remarks our Democratic leader, Mr. Hoyer, talked about the pride we take in telling our children and our grandchildren that we were here present to pass the Build Back Better legislation," Pelosi added.
"Under this dome for centuries, members of Congress has stood exactly where we stand to pass legislation of extraordinary consequence in our nation's history," she also said. "We, this Democratic Congress are taking our place in a long and honorable heritage of our democracy with legislation that will be the pillar of health and financial security in America."
Pelosi also took a jab at Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and his marathon speech that delayed the vote on the bill.
"With respect to those who work in this Capitol, and as a courtesy to my colleagues, I will be brief," she said as she opened her speech.
Pelosi also claimed the bill "is fully paid for" despite a Congressional Budget Office score that says it will increase the national debt by a few hundred billion dollars.
The House of Representatives reconvened at 8 a.m. Friday morning after Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., delayed the votes planned Thursday night with his marathon speech.
The House only adjourned at 5:11 a.m., meaning the floor was closed for less than three hours between the end of McCarthy's speech and when Democrats brought lawmakers back to pass their reconciliation bill.
{{#rendered}}House Speaker Nancy Pelosi set the chamber up for a vote Friday on Democrats' massive reconciliation spending bill, leaning on a handful of reluctant moderates who wanted a chance to analyze Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scores first.
"We will vote on the rule and then on the bill, those votes hopefully will take place later this afternoon," Pelosi said Thursday ahead of any release of that information. Pelosi was backed by Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who said she wanted a vote either Thursday night or first thing Friday morning.
The effort represents just the latest stage in Democrats' monthslong saga trying to pass both an infrastructure bill and a reconciliation bill, with Pelosi pushed and pulled between progressives and moderates in her own party. It was just earlier this month Pelosi was steamrolling progressives to get the moderate-backed infrastructure to President Biden's desk.
"At the end of the day, things change, situations change," R Street Institute senior fellow James Wallner said of Pelosi's rapidly changing alliances. "What lawmakers are concerned about is outcomes, and they think about this is – anything is OK as long as it gives you that outcome… They're just changing their means to reach the same ends."
An examination of Pelosi's statements and positions going back to June reveals a leader who's been happy to change her approach over and over as she works with warring factions of her party to pass some of the most expensive bills in American history.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy forced Democrats to push a planned Thursday vote on their massive reconciliation spending bill back to Friday morning with an hours-long "magic minute," Thursday night and Friday morning, as Republicans seek to block the bill.
"This evening showed that no matter the time, the day or the circumstances, House Republicans will always fight for you, fight for your family, and fight for our country. With taht, Madam Speaker, I yield back," McCarthy said as he closed his marathon remarks.
The speech lasted more than eight-and-a-half-hours. Democrats are set to vote on the bill at 8 a.m.
House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., spoke for over eight hours on the floor Thursday night and into Friday morning ahead of a crucial House vote, making his final case against the President Biden social spending bill that Republicans say will cause long-term damage to the U.S. economy.
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{{#rendered}}Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-California, has commandeered the House floor for more than eight hours—well into Friday morning—prompting Democrats to postpone the vote on President Biden’s spending bill until at least later Friday morning.
As of 5 a.m., McCarthy seemed no worse for the wear, and continued to rattle off stories about the time he won $5,000 in lotto as a younger man and the problems that the country faces, including inflation, migration and the lack of bipartisanship at the Capitol.
At one point the minority leader asked how President Biden can be trusted with $5 trillion after the debacle in Afghanistan.
The speech was not without some levity. McCarthy said Congress should hold "block parties" to close the divide between Democrats and Republicans. He even mentioned a potluck but said that could be hard to pull off due to inflation. The line drew a laugh from tired members who were still there at about 4:30 a.m.
His speech was official longer than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 2018 marathon in defense of DREAMers, which was eight hours and seven minutes long. The speech ended at about 5:10 a.m.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Democrat majority leader, issued a statement at early Friday that said members were “advised that there are no further votes in the House tonight” and many left. McCarthy said it was unfortunate that they didn't stick around to debate and learn a little bit more about the bill and its impact on working-class Americans.
The House will reconvene at 8 a.m. ET and will likely vote on the bill. Most Democrats abandoned the chamber after midnight with McCarthy still talking, the Associated Press reported.
House approval was still expected on a near party-line vote. That would send the measure to a Senate where cost-cutting demands by moderate Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and that chamber’s strict rules seemed certain to force significant changes. That will prompt fresh disputes between party centrists and moderates that will likely take weeks to resolve. -AP contributed
Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., took over the role of speaker pro tempore at 1 a.m. ET, as Rep. Kevin McCarthy continued a speech that could very well be the longest in House history.
Chad Pergram, Fox News’ congressional correspondent, said McCarthy, the House minority leader, need to continue speaking until 4:46 a.m. ET in order to break House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s record set in February 2018 while discussing DREAMers.
Pelosi, who was the minority leader at the time, spoke for eight hours and seven minutes.
Jacobs’ office released a statement that pointed to a tweet she posted before taking the gavel.
“Outside this chamber, the world moves on. Young kids are asleep and parents are trying to get some work done, teachers are preparing for tomorrow, nurses and care workers are still on shift. This bill is for all of them and more and we’ll get it done,” she posted.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer informed lawmakers the House will adjourn at the conclusion of GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's floor speech.
McCarthy is nearly five hours into a scathing address on President Biden's spending bill. The House will reconvene at 8 a.m. ET Friday and vote on the Build Back Better Act. - Thomas Barrabi
{{#rendered}}House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office issued a release fact-checking several remarks from GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's ongoing floor speech.
"During this evening’s temper tantrum, Minority Leader McCarthy did everything he could to avoid talking about the deficit reducing, inflation crushing Build Back Better Act. But he did make unhinged claims about what the American people “don’t want and need," the release said.
McCarthy has been speaking for over four hours, delaying a vote on President Biden's spending bill in the process. -Thomas Barrabi
Coverage for this event has ended.