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Build Back Better Act Vote informed by CBO score, filibustered by McCarthy


The House’s passing of the Build Back Better Act Friday did not come easy for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). In addition to the months of negotiating, a vote on the bill saw a last minute holdout and an 8 1/2 hour filibuster two weeks later.

The original delay came two weeks ago, the same night the House passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill. President Biden signed that bill into law earlier this week.

The original plan was to vote on the Build Back Better Act at the same time. However, centrist Democrats withheld their support until the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office provided estimates that were consistent with preliminary numbers the White House and congressional tax analysts have provided. The CBO provided that estimate Thursday.

“CBO estimates that enacting this legislation would result in a net increase in the deficit totaling $367 billion over the 2022-2031 period,” the CBO said. However, the estimate is “not counting any additional revenue that may be generated by additional funding for tax enforcement.” In a Treasury Department statement released Thursday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Build Back Better Act would “reduce our nation’s debt over time by generating more than $2 trillion through reforms that ask the wealthiest Americans and large corporations to pay their fair share.”

After the Build Back Better Act estimate came out and the vote was set, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy did all he could to prevent it from happening. He spoke on the House floor for 8 1/2 hours Thursday night into Friday morning.

“Every page of this new Washington spending shows just how irresponsible and out of touch the Democrats are to the challenges that America faces today,” Rep. McCarthy said in his remarks. “This is the single most reckless and irresponsible spending bill in our nation’s history.” As his speech went into the early morning hours, Republicans tweeted their support, telling McCarthy to hold the line.

“McCarthy is showing the American people what real leadership looks like. President Biden and Speaker Pelosi should take notes,” Rep. Fred Keller (R-PA) tweeted at 4:30 a.m. Friday. Meanwhile, Democrats described McCarthy as a rambling fool having a meltdown.

“We’re glad we’re not the only ones who can’t follow Minority Leader McCarthy’s meandering rant that has nothing to do with the Build Back Better Act,” Rep. Pelosi’s Press Office said in a blog post titled “Is Kevin McCarthy OK?”. “As he hopefully approaches the end, we’re all left wondering: does Kevin McCarthy know where he is right now?”

Annie Andersen: THE HOUSE HAS APPROVED PRESIDENT BIDEN’S 1.75 TRILLION DOLLAR BUILD BACK BETTER SOCIAL SPENDING BILL WITH A VOTE OF 220 to 213.

ONE DEMOCRAT  VOTED AGAINST IT.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi: ”For us, it’s not just about legislation. It’s about values and the values that this legislation represents for the people.”

THE VOTE CAME EARLY FRIDAY MORNING… FOLLOWING AN 8 AND A HALF HOUR FILIBUSTER FROM MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY.

IT INCLUDING MUSINGS ON HOW BABY CARROTS CAME TO BE AS 

WELL AS SOME MORE LEGISLATIVE REMARKS.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy: ”House republicans will always fight for you..applause..”

DURING MCCARTHY’S LENGTHY REMARKS… REPUBLICANS TWEETED… HOLD THE LINE.. URGING HIM TO CONTINUE.\

DEMOCRATS ON THE OTHER HAND CALLING MCCARTHY A RAMBLING FOOL AND HAVING A MELTDOWN. 

THE BUILD BACK BETTER BILL WILL NOW HEAD TO THE SENATE.

IT’S A RECONCILIATION BILL SO IT ONLY NEEDS 50 VOTES TO PASS…

 BUT THAT MEANS ALL DEMOCRATS MUST VOTE FOR IT. 

CENTRIST DEMOCRATS SENATORS JOE MANCHIN AND KYRSTEN SINEMA HAVEN’T YET SAID IF THEY WILL VOTE FOR THE BILL- CITING CONCERNS WITH ITS COST.

THE NON-PARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE FOUND IT WILL ADD 367 BILLION TO THE DEFICIT OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS

HOWEVER THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE THE EXTRA MONEY GENERATED BY INCREASING TAXES ON THE VERY RICH AND CORPORATIONS.

THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT SAYS THAT WILL BE ABOUT TWO TRILLION DOLLARS. 

THE SENATE HAS SAID THEY WANT TO VOTE ON THIS BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

STRAIGHT FROM DC I’M ANNIE ANDERSEN.