Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said he believes the Senate will pass President Biden’s spending bill before the end of the year. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Friday, sending it to the Senate by a 50-50 margin.
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Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said he believes the Senate will pass President Biden’s spending bill before the end of the year. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Friday, sending it to the Senate by a 50-50 margin.
Pete Marovich / Getty Images
President Biden’s spending bill, often referred to as “Building Back Better,” passed in the House of Representatives on Friday largely along the lines of the party. Now, the bill will move to the Senate, where it is expected to be further reduced.
Included in the $2.2 trillion bill is more than $500 billion for green energy and climate change programs, hundreds of billions more for free preschool for kids 3 and 4 age, housing, hearing aids for Medicare patients, 4 weeks paid family leave and other programs.
With a 50-50 margin of the Senate and Republicans total opposition, Democratic leaders would need all 50 votes from their own party for the bill to pass in the chamber. Two Democrats, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, have not supported the bill so far.
However, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois told NPR he believes Democrats will pass the bill before the end of the year.
“We’ve put a lot of work and a lot of time into this,” Durbin said. “And hats off to Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats for what they’ve achieved. Now it’s our turn and we have to fasten our seat belts. And we have some important things: the committee. military rights, debt ceiling, moving on. It’s going to be a busy December, but we have to get the job done.”
Durbin talking to NPR’s Weekend version about the negotiations that have taken place with Manchin and Sinema, as well as what is left to get their votes.
“They’ve put their stamp on this bill, which has passed the House of Representatives and the bill that is likely to pass the Senate,” Durbin said. “What I’ve said over and over to my friend Joe Manchin is ‘Joe, you’ve put your stamp on this bill. Probably more than any senator. Now let’s close the deal. Show us that there’s enough good in this bill that you can stand up and support it. ‘ I hope you and Kyrsten do too. “
On Thursday, before the House passes the spending bill, Sinema talked to washington articles about invoice. The Arizona senator didn’t say much about its content, other than how it differs from President Biden’s original framework.
“So that’s not the deal that the president made in his framework a few weeks ago,” Sinema told me. Post. “While I won’t comment on what’s happening in the House at the moment, I can only introduce you to the comments I made when the president laid out his framework. .. I’m looking forward to working with him to get this done.”
Manchin has previously said he is not in favor of including paid family leave in the spending bill. Both Manchin and Sinema have also noted their concerns about inflation and several tax hikes.
Gabriel Dunatov and Matthew Schuerman did the audio interview.
