The House Takes Up the Build Back Better Act

If it passes, it might take weeks for the Senate to consider it.

By , and
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Good morning and happy National Fast Food Day to those who celebrate.

Congress is kicking into high gear after a relatively quiet recess week. House Democrats are expected to consider the second plank of President Joe Biden’s domestic legislative agenda this week, the sweeping Build Back Better Act. The $1.75 trillion package addresses climate, health care, education, and other social spending programs.

The bill is expected to be a heavy lift: No Republicans support the measure and Democratic leadership is working with thin margins. In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi can afford to lose only three votes, and in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats need every lawmaker in their caucus to get on board.

Moderate Democrats’ support may also depend on the estimated cost of the bill by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which will shed light on the accuracy of the administration’s claim that the bill is financed by stricter Internal Revenue Service enforcement and other measures.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    Immigration is infrastructure now I see.

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    Jason Gibson

    I"m just enjoying the show. Of course there's always the chance that after i get my popcorn and sit down to enjoy the democrats failing at their theatrics that they will actually pass the thing.

    That will bring back bad memories of sitting down to watch Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull for the first time

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  3. Avatar photo
    Earl King

    Watching Mayorkas testify, one wonders if he can turn himself in to a pretzel for lying about what we see with our own eyes. The has no morals, no values, not a shred of honesty. He just sits there a lies...over and over again. People complained about the asswipes who worked for Trump....this is like watching live people burn to death in a fire. This BBB bill has all sorts of equity racial stuff in it...So as Mayor Pete says we cannot build a bridge that is base don people fo color not being able to go to the beach....That won't delay anything.....I ask this simple f*^#king question.....Would Equity be Not building a Bridge or Building a Bridge? I just don't know anymore. I
    ve gotten turned around these days with so much "thru the looking glass reality".

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  4. Kenneth Feneley

    ["Not all Democrats are as nervous, though."] I think you mis-wrote. You meant "Not all Democrats are as arrogantly stupid". Then you would have been correct.

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  5. Kenneth Feneley

    ["Many of those six reiterated that point to The Dispatch yesterday."] I hope they called you rather than you inquiring of them. Because WHO REALLY CARES about their opinions?

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  6. Kenneth Feneley

    [" happy National Fast Food Day to those who celebrate."] I'm looking forward to National Half A--ed Food Day. Do you know if it's soon?

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  7. David R

    "Also in this portion: a plan to offer more visas by “recapturing” unused visas from past decades, an increase in fees for citizenship and immigration services, and $2.8 billion to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) budget."

    Since this bit is both urgently needed (well, the additional visas is arguable, but the current fee structure for USCIS is insufficient to meet current and ongoing expenses and this is major reason why processing is so backlogged) and pocket change for the federal government, you'd think it could be handled in a standalone bill. Though selfishly I'd prefer to have my wife's citizenship application in (next summer, and the last time we'll be paying any immigration-related fees with any luck) before fees go up ...

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  8. Avatar photo
    Dave K

    The more I read about the BBB, the more it appears ill-considered, rushed or otherwise just a smatter of progressive demands that don't really add up. I kind of understand why they wouldn't split things into smaller bites, but at least smaller bites could be better thought out, costed and sold as to why they are good. This just looks like a boondoggle in the making.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Tmcke

      I would normally agree, but is there any indication that Republicans would consider smaller bills? I will answer that - no. So over 8 years Dems get one shot. Hence the desire to load the bill with goodies.

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      1. Avatar photo
        Dave K

        And while most Republicans don't care, it would put a little more pressure on some to vote Yes for a few things that their constituents might want. Right now, its easy to say "its just way too much spending and the country can't afford it" with little political fallout from that.

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        Dave K

        Its not so much about Republicans, but the moderate Democrats to support stuff. On the flip side, they are putting all their eggs in the proverbial BBB basket. Should Manchin or Sinema decide it isn't worth it, they get nothing and they look even stupider for having control of all three houses and getting little accomplished.

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          Tmcke

          Sure. But look at the last 20 years. Dems got one shot in 2009. Then this year. Then when? 2029?

          And we should not pretend that the BBB items are all that surprising. Just lots of little stuff that dems have talked about for year.

          Republicans have created a Congress that really cannot pass legislation.

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          1. Avatar photo
            Earl King

            Nonsense. Our collective politics has created a Congress that cannot pass legislation. Our leadership that treats politics as a blood sport. In order for me to win, someone must loose. Why isn't every single member a member of the Problem Solvers caucus? Look there are existential political positions where people will not find common ground. Abortion for example. Why is it that Paul Ryan who tried for years asked to have studies done to look at whether our "general welfare" policies work, do what they were intended to do and are efficient. Doesn't sound political does it? Except it was perceived as a threat by Democrats. The buckets of billions upon billions are going to be thrown out of a helicopter....New programs, with the guiding mission of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I am a Republican that is for the elimination of poverty to the extent we can. Specifically African American. I applaud Democrats for raising the issue of race in America. I condemn Democrats for making everything about race. Poverty however, is not about the lack of or the amount of melanin in ones skin. It is about a lack of skills and education and knowledge. Let me give you an example. As of August only 89% of Rental Relief Assistance had been given out from the $2 Trillion American Rescue Plan. I personally know several people who had renters just stop paying rent because of the eviction bans. Why didn't renters flood that program? Simple, their belief it wasn't necessary, as in NJ it is still a state ban. Biden tried to continue it but it failed nationally. Renters didn't care to give money to Landlords. They don't care that their landlord pays his mortgage. The program was poorly designed. Did renters know about the program? What landlord didn't tell then there was a program to get them up to date with their rent? So why wasn't it used? Spite for their landlords? Sticking to the man? Lack of understanding? Education...WE don't give our money away effectively. If I see it I would hope others see it. Give me a welfare program that ends poverty, doesn't just sustain it and I am all in.

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  9. Avatar photo
    Sheila M

    Thank you for your continued great reporting on the BBB bill -- factual both in the content and the status of the bill politically!

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  10. Barb Huntington

    We need this

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