Democrats Work To Modify Biden’s Budget Framework Deal

Democrats are working to see how flexible the White House’s framework for their massive social spending package is. Lawmakers are hoping to make adjustments to the package released Thursday on topics like healthcare, climate and paid family leave.

The deal on the Build Back Better bill was struck with moderate Sens. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona), who opposed many of the original bill’s provisions. The Biden administration wants to enact both the Democrats-only spending package and a Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill.

President Joe Biden said Thursday, “No one got everything including me, but that’s what compromise is.”

The framework released Thursday includes universal pre-school and clean energy incentives but scales back on some of Biden’s and Democratic lawmakers’ spending and tax priorities. The bill went from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion but also added $100 billion for immigration reforms that meet the Senate budget rules.

These changes were to address the concerns of Manchin and Sinema, who opposed the $3.5 trillion bill. No Republicans are expected to vote for the bill, so Senate and House Democrats need all their members need to back it to pass.

Article by Ian Darville