$1 Trillion Might Have To Be Cut From Social Spending Package, Pelosi Says
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stressed that the final package would still be “transformative,” NBC reported. She said members of her caucus are trying to keep all of the original programs — such as universal pre-K and home health care — but that the number of years of guaranteed funding would have to be pared back.
CNBC:
Pelosi Signals Democrats Could Trim Biden Build Back Better Plan
Democrats could slash entire pieces of President Joe Biden’s economic plan to push it through Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday. Party leaders have acknowledged they will likely have to cut $1 trillion or more from their $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate proposal. Trying to pass legislation with a razor-thin majority and no Republican votes, Democrats have to appease centrists who have called for a smaller bill. (Pramuk, 10/12)
Roll Call:
Pelosi: Budget Decisions Needed ‘In The Next Few Days’ To Hit Deadline
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that Democrats need to make crucial decisions “in the next few days” about how to cut their $3.5 trillion partisan tax and spending budget reconciliation package if they’re going to meet a self-imposed end-of-month deadline. That seems like a tall order, however, considering Democrats have not made a single decision about what social spending or climate programs they would cut to drop the price tag closer to the approximately $2 trillion level President Joe Biden thinks moderate and progressive Democrats in the narrowly divided Congress can all support. (McPherson, 10/12)
NBC News:
Pelosi 'Disappointed' Democrats Are Shrinking $3.5 Trillion Social Safety Net Bill
Pelosi stressed that the final package, despite the lower cost, will still be “transformative” and “will produce results.” The speaker said that members of her caucus have told her that they still want to include all of the original programs such as universal pre-K, home health care, the child tax credit and tuition-free community college. She suggested that in order to keep all of those proposals in the measure, Democrats would have to pare back the number of years of guaranteed funding. (Shabad, 10/12)
The Wall Street Journal:
Democrats Debate Eligibility For Reconciliation Bill’s New Social Programs
Choosing which Americans should be eligible for benefits in a proposed expansion of the social-safety net is one of the main challenges vexing Democrats, who are attempting to slim down their healthcare, education, child-care and climate bill in the coming weeks. The debate over whether to provide the benefits to low-income Americans only or a broader swath of the public comes as Democrats work to unite their progressives and centrist wings around a revised package. So-called means-testing is one of several methods Democrats are considering for reducing the price tag of the $3.5 trillion proposal, along with potentially dropping some programs altogether or reducing the number of years funded. (Duehren, 10/12)
Roll Call:
Concerns Grow Over Home Health Care As Democrats Debate Funding
Advocates are concerned that a proposed boost to Medicaid and home health care for the elderly and disabled in Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget bill will be pared back so much that it wouldn’t deliver on its promise to increase jobs and wages. The topline funding number for home- and community-based services has wavered between $150 billion over 10 years and President Joe Biden’s initial request of $400 billion over eight years. The House bill currently would set the 10-year spending level at $190 billion, lower than what advocates view as sufficient. (Clason, 10/13)
Also —
NBC News:
House Passes Short-Term Debt Limit Hike, Pushing High-Stakes Deadline To December
The House voted Tuesday to pass a short-term increase in the debt ceiling to enable the Treasury to continue borrowing money to pay the bills for two months, setting up another round of fighting about the limit. The House voted 219-206 on partisan lines. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill, which moved forward Thursday after narrowly clearing the 60-vote threshold and passing the Senate. (Kapur, 10/12)
