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The U.S. House cleared a $1.2 trillion physical infrastructure bill and took a major step toward passage of a landmark $1.85 trillion social spending and climate bill late Friday, following months of wrangling between Democrats鈥� progressive and moderate wings.
The votes marked a milestone in the marathon negotiations among members of the House Democratic caucus 鈥� and finally victory in sending billions of new dollars in roads, bridge and transit spending to President Joe Biden鈥檚 desk. 鈥淭onight, we took a monumental step forward as a nation,鈥� Biden said in a statement issued early Saturday.
鈥淚 look forward to signing both of these bills into law,鈥� he said.聽鈥淕enerations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st聽Century.鈥�
And while Biden鈥檚 sprawling Build Back Better social policy plan didn鈥檛 get a final vote, the president and House leaders said they鈥檙e confident that will happen the week of Nov. 15. House Democrats did approve on a party-line 221-213 vote a rule that sets the terms for debate when the Build Back Better legislation comes to the floor.
The physical infrastructure bill passed on a bipartisan 228-206 vote, with progressives like Reps. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, Andy Levin of Michigan and Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey lining up behind it after a deal was struck between the dissenting factions of the Democratic caucus. In opposition were progressives like Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Cori Bush of Missouri.
Republicans who voted in favor included Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Fred Upton of Michigan. Maryland Republican Rep. Andrew P. Harris voted against.
Several hours before the votes, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), standing alongside House Majority Leaders Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) did not answer questions on whether she had secured the 218 votes needed to pass the legislation.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see, won鈥檛 we?鈥� she said to reporters.
A deal reached
Under pressure from House leadership and Biden, progressives and moderates reached an agreement late Friday.
In a聽, five moderate Democrats 鈥� Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Stephanie Murphy of Florida, Kurt Schrader of Oregon, Ed Case of Hawaii and Kathleen Rice of New York 鈥� pledged to support the rule Friday and the underlying budget bill in its current form the week of Nov. 15 if projections from the Congressional Budget Office were consistent with White House budget estimates.
Following the statement from moderates, the chair of the House Progressive Caucus, Pramila Jayapa, (D-Wash.), said that her members had reached an agreement with House leadership and the president.
鈥淥ur colleagues have committed to voting for the transformative Build Back Better Act, as currently written, no later than the week of November 15,鈥� she said in a statement. 鈥淎s part of this agreement, at the request of the President, and to ensure we pass both bills through the House, progressives will advance the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the House rule on Build Back Better tonight.鈥�
Moderates had pushed for an analysis from the CBO, the fiscal scorekeeper for Congress, before voting for the spending plan.
The moderates鈥� statement was enough to win the support of all but six progressives for the infrastructure bill. Thirteen Republicans joined most Democrats in voting to approve it.
罢丑别听, so the next step is Biden鈥檚 signature.
The bill includes:
- $351 billion for highways and bridges
- $107 billion for transit
- $73 billion for electric grid infrastructure
- $66 billion for passenger rail
- $55 billion for drinking water infrastructure
- $42 billion for broadband deployment
- $25 billion for airports
- $17 billion for ports
- $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations
- $7.5 billion for electric buses and ferries
Maryland reacts
Maryland鈥檚 congressional Democrats hailed the passage of the bill as a historic investment in the nation鈥檚 physical infrastructure.
鈥淥ur infrastructure is in desperate need of repair and upgrades. With this vote, we are making a down payment on a more prosperous, equitable economy for all,鈥� Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D) said. 鈥淭his legislation will modernize our infrastructure, reduce emissions, bolster resiliency and preparedness, expand broadband access and create more good-paying jobs in Maryland and across the nation.鈥�
Rep. Anthony Brown (D) cheered the bill鈥檚 inclusion of additional funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, as well as provisions from the 鈥淩econnecting Communities Act,鈥� which he sponsored with other members of the Maryland delegation to reinvest in communities harmed by historically divisive infrastructure projects such as the 鈥淗ighway to Nowhere鈥� in Baltimore.
鈥淭his is how we begin to correct the mistakes past and build a more equitable state and country,鈥� Brown said in a statement.
Rep. David Trone (D) cheered broadband provisions that will bring more than $100 million to connect Marylanders to high-speed internet and noted that 273 bridges and more than 2,200 miles of highway in Maryland are rated in poor condition. The bill would bring about $4.1 billion in federal highway aid, including a $70 million project to connect U.S. 219 to I-68, and $409 million to shore up bridges.
鈥淒ecades of under-investment in our crumbling infrastructure has taken a toll on every state including Maryland,鈥� Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D) said in a statement. 鈥淭his bill is an opportunity to literally build back from the COVID-19 crisis better than ever. Funding for Maryland鈥檚 roads, bridges, waterways and broadband will not only create good-paying jobs, but will keep products and people on the move.鈥�
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation said the bill will invest an additional $238 million for the EPA鈥檚 Chesapeake Bay Program over the next five years. That works out to an annual increase of $47.6 million, or more than 50 percent higher than current levels. Once Biden signs the bill into law, the legislation would raise authorized funding for the Bay Program from $90.5 million to $138.1 million in the coming fiscal year.
鈥淚nvesting an additional $47 million a year in the Bay Program will help put more boots on the ground planting streamside buffers, restoring oyster reefs, installing rain gardens, and pursuing the many other projects to reduce pollution that are central to implementing state cleanup plans,鈥� said Denise Stranko, the Bay Foundation鈥檚 federal executive director. 鈥淲e look forward to partnering with EPA to make the most of this timely budget increase while we still have time to save this national treasure. We owe future generations nothing less.鈥�
Several members of the Maryland congressional delegation also issued statements promising support for the forthcoming vote on the Build Back Better Act.
鈥淭his [infrastructure] legislation, in tandem with our Build Back Better Bill, will transform our economy and make once-in-a-generation investments in the success of the American people,鈥� U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) said in a statement. 鈥淔rom day one, I鈥檝e been committed to bringing these investments directly to Maryland聽workers, students, families, and seniors. Together, these two bills will bring a brighter future 鈥� with greater opportunity and shared prosperity 鈥� to our state and our nation.鈥�
But in a Saturday morning statement, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R), who some are encouraging to challenge Van Hollen in 2022, called the Build Back Better Act 鈥渄ivisive and reckless legislation鈥� and urged congress to reject it.
鈥淭his legislative success proves that it鈥檚 still possible for leaders of goodwill to overcome toxic politics and work together to solve serious problems, but it does not fix what is broken in Washington,鈥� Hogan said of the infrastructure bill. 鈥淭he extreme partisan tax hike and spending bill currently being debated by the House represents the very worst of Washington. The last thing our nation needs while inflation is rising and the national economic recovery is stalling is this massive grab bag of tax hikes, Democratic wish list items, and handouts to special interests.鈥�
Child care at center of social bill
House Democrats also approved in a party-line vote a rule setting the terms for a vote on the larger spending plan that would provide $400 billion for聽聽and help聽聽for families, including by extending an enhanced child tax credit.
The social spending plan also includes聽聽experts say聽聽on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
The agreement came even as a group of centrist Democrats had wavered in their support of the so-called Build Back Better bill. Many raised concerns over the total cost.
One of the moderate Democrats, Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, gave her support for passing the rule to move Biden鈥檚 social spending package forward.
鈥淐ongress must unite to make that happen 鈥� lowering drug prices and capping insulin costs, investing in broadband internet, extending the refundable Child Tax Credit, tackling the climate crisis, and repairing Virginia鈥檚 roads & bridges,鈥� she wrote on聽.
In remarks on the House floor, Pelosi praised the bills as 鈥渢ransformative鈥� and said they were more significant than the 2010 health care law that was President Barack Obama鈥檚 signature domestic policy achievement.
She also acknowledged the delicate negotiations that were required to reach Friday鈥檚 vote.
鈥淭o craft and pass this bill, choices had to be made,鈥� she said.
Democrats took to the House floor to promote both the infrastructure bill and social spending package.
U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, a Virginia Democrat who chairs the Education and Labor Committee, said Build Back Better would make child care more affordable and allow millions of parents to reenter the workforce.
Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat who chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, highlighted the climate provisions of the bill. The measure would spend $40 billion to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector and improve resiliency from climate change, he said.
Republicans focused their opposition on the size of the package and the amount of spending.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, (R-La.), criticized some revenue-generating provisions, including taxes on natural gas and a provision to bolster Internal Revenue Service enforcement efforts.
Republican efforts
Before Democrats could begin debate on Biden鈥檚 social spending plan, Republicans filed a motion to stop consideration of the package.
Rep. Jason Smith, (R-Mo.) argued that the rule on the Build Back Better Act violated the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, which established the congressional budget process. In order for the House to be able to vote on the rule for later consideration of the social reform package, Democrats first needed a majority to vote against the point of order brought by Smith.
That vote was held open for nearly five hours as the Congressional Progressive Caucus strategized. The meeting stretched into dinner as lawmakers ordered pizza to the Capitol.
In a statement, Biden said he was 鈥渃onfident that during the week of November 15, the House will pass the Build Back Better Act.鈥� The House is in recess next week for Veterans Day.
But the bill faces an uncertain future in the evenly divided Senate.
Centrist Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have not said they鈥檒l support the House version of the bill. Both have raised concerns about the topline spending number and Manchin said he does not support the paid family leave provision.
Senate liberals may object to the provision lifting the cap on the federal tax deduction taxpayers can take for what they pay to state and local governments.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-N.Y.), said he expects to start debate on the spending plan the week of Nov. 15. Senators would then have an opportunity to amend the House version.
