Biden’s spending plan hits snag with far left

Democrats in a meeting with the president on Thursday chanted, “vote, vote, vote,” eager to pass the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better plan that has been months in the making. President Joe Biden announced a compromise agreement and urged Democrats to pass the bill quickly, along with the bipartisan infrastructure funding plan stalled in the Senate. The House Rules Committee began the process of bringing the bill to the floor on Thursday afternoon, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., delayed the vote because it lacked enough support from the party’s far-left wing to pass. 

What’s in the bill? The pared-down social spending proposal leaves out paid family leave, free community college, and changes to prescription drug pricing. Free pre-K and child care subsidies remained in the text, along with a one-year extension on the child tax credit. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., successfully preserved a $35 billion hearing aid benefit for people on Medicare. The bill designates $555 billion for climate change programs. The final version could increase to $1.85 trillion if lawmakers push through a $100 billion investment in immigration and border processing.

Dig deeper: Listen to Myrna Brown interview Brian Reidl on how Democrats intend to pay for their massive spending plan.