Nancy Pelosi 'Very Disappointed' Democrats Won't Be Able To Pass Full Biden Agenda
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Tuesday that she is “very disappointed” centrist Democrats are forcing President Joe Biden to make cuts to his ambitious $3.5 trillion economic agenda geared toward helping working-class families.
The massive package would provide many benefits for American families such as a child tax credit, childcare, universal pre-K, paid family, and medical leave, free community college, expanding Medicare, and combating climate change.
Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., have said they would not support a bill with that large of a price tag.
Pelosi has said she hopes Democrats won’t drop any programs from the bill and instead opt to reduce the timing in order to make the funding smaller. In order to appease centrists, Biden has said Democrats should try to agree on a price tag around $2 trillion.
Pelosi has named a number of agenda items her party will try to prioritize as negotiations continue as she told reporters the child tax credit, expanded childcare, and universal pre-k “really go together.”
Progressives have made combating climate change a top priority for the bill. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., has previously said, “no climate, no deal.”
The bill is expected to be voted on with the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal aimed at improving the country’s crumbling roads, bridges, and highways, as well as upgrade public transportation, waterways, and broadband.
Pelosi has set an Oct. 31 deadline to pass the bipartisan package and says she is “optimistic” Democrats will meet the end of the month deadline.
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