The Archive

BY JOHN BRESNAHAN, ANNA PALMER AND JAKE SHERMAN
WITH MAX COHEN AND CHRISTIAN HALL

The House passed the $1.7 trillion Build Back Better Act, giving President Joe Biden and Democrats a big political victory on the party’s signature legislative priority. 

The vote was 220-213. One only one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted against the measure.

Friday’s proceedings were anti-climactic after the previous night’s drama. As House Democrats were rushing to pass the bill on Thursday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy launched into a marathon eight-and-a-half hour speech in opposition to the Democratic package. That pushed the final vote into Friday.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi joked on the floor this morning that “As a courtesy to my colleagues, I will be brief.”

“With the passage of the Build Back Better Act, we — this Democratic Congress — are taking our place in the long and honorable heritage of our democracy with legislation that will be the pillar of health and financial security in America,” Pelosi said. “If you are a parent, a senior, a child, if you are an American, this bill is for you. And it is better.”

Pelosi’s comments weren’t just the usual political rhetoric. This Democratic package is both huge in cost and scope, and as currently constructed, will impact just about every person in the country in one way or another.

Pelosi noted some of the highlights of the bill — a cap on out-of-pocket spending for seniors; a lid on monthly insulin costs; a program allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices.; expansion of Medicaid coverage under Obamacare; paid family and medical leave; universal preschool for three and four-year-olds; help with child-care costs; hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending to fight climate change; and new taxes on the wealth and corporations.

Pelosi also offered praise for Biden, saying that without his leadership, “none of this could’ve been possible.”

The BBB will now move onto the Senate, which is expected to make big changes to the legislation. We’ll have much more on that in our Midday edition — and in coming weeks — for our Premium readers.