Renovating Build Back Better

Happy Friday!

Uphill readers might fondly remember we spent a decent amount of time reading through the House-passed Build Back Better Act late last year. We had almost made it through the whole bill when West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin cut off negotiations with the White House and announced he wouldn’t vote for it.

Since then, the measure has languished, with Democratic leaders uncertain about their next steps. Now, they are coalescing around a path forward.

Momentum built this week among Democratic lawmakers to accept Manchin’s vision of what the reconciliation package should look like—fewer programs and a smaller price tag—in order to get something done before this year’s midterm elections.