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Author Topic: U.S. Politics  (Read 94723 times)

Offline Rick Plant

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #976 on: August 06, 2022, 09:44:38 PM »
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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #976 on: August 06, 2022, 09:44:38 PM »


Offline Rick Plant

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #977 on: August 07, 2022, 09:59:47 AM »
Senate Dems' climate, health and energy bill clears first hurdle to passage with VP's vote



The U.S. Senate voted along party lines Saturday night to advance to debate on Democrats’ sweeping energy, health and taxes bill, clearing a major hurdle to passage.

The 51-50 vote, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie, cleared the chamber to debate and vote on amendments to the measure and indicated that it had enough support from Democrats to overcome unified Republican opposition.

“We will show the American people that, yes, we are capable of passing a historic climate package, and rein in drug companies, and make our tax code fairer,” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said before the vote. “We are able to make big promises and work hard at keeping them as well.

“This is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching pieces of legislation that has come before the Congress in decades,” the New York Democrat added. “It will help just about every citizen in this country and make America a much better place.”

The White House said Saturday that President Joe Biden’s administration “strongly supports” the bill.

“This legislation would lower health care, prescription drug, and energy costs, invest in energy security, and make our tax code fairer—all while fighting inflation and reducing the deficit,” the statement of administration policy said.

Saturday session

The vote opened a rare weekend Senate session — while the chamber was scheduled to be on its August recess — that is expected to include up to 20 hours of debate and consideration of 40 to 50 amendments in a “vote-a-rama.”

Depending on how long debate and amendment votes take, a final vote is expected Sunday or Monday.

The bill, negotiated primarily by Schumer and West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin III with additional changes made at the behest of Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, would spend nearly $370 billion on clean energy programs, allow Medicare to negotiate some drug prices beginning in 2026 and change the tax code and bolster Internal Revenue Enforcement to bring in more than $400 billion in new revenue over 10 years.

After negotiating with Sinema and presenting the bill to the Senate parliamentarian to ensure all the provisions qualified for consideration under budget reconciliation, Democrats released a longer 755-page updated bill minutes before voting to open debate Saturday.

The reconciliation process allows Democrats to pass the bill with a simple majority, instead of the usual 60-vote threshold.

Among the late changes to the bill was an addition of $4 billion to address Western droughts.

Western Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Mark Kelly of Arizona and Michael Bennet of Colorado announced they secured the funding for the Bureau of Reclamation to address droughts in Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado.

“The Western United States is experiencing an unprecedented drought, and it is essential that we have the resources we need to support our states’ efforts to combat climate change, conserve water resources, and protect the Colorado River Basin,” they said in a joint statement.

Democrats also added a provision to cap the price of insulin co-pays for Americans at $35 starting in 2024. The insulin language, though, may be challenged by Republicans on the floor.

Another provision, pushed by Virginia Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine, and included in the bill’s initial draft, would permanently extend the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, which provides monthly payments and medical benefits to disabled coal miners who developed black lung disease while working in coal mines.

The reduced prescription drug costs and tax code changes more than offset the bill’s spending, reducing the deficit by about $100 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The extra IRS enforcement would bring the total deficit reduction to around $300 billion.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said that the chamber would return from its August recess to vote Friday on a Senate-passed bill.

AFP

Offline Rick Plant

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #978 on: August 07, 2022, 10:11:46 AM »
Adam Schiff @RepAdamSchiff

Democrats have passed:

An anti-inflation bill
A $1.9 trillion rescue deal
A $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan
And gun reforms

Now we're gearing up to secure:

Lower prescription drug costs
Billions in climate investments
ACA subsidies
And ensuring corporations pay a fair share


https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/1556062297797398530

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #978 on: August 07, 2022, 10:11:46 AM »


Offline Rick Plant

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #979 on: August 07, 2022, 10:18:49 AM »
The Inflation Reduction Act:
 
✅ Lowers energy costs
✅ Increases energy security
✅ Reduces emissions
✅ Invests in our communities to combat climate change








Offline Rick Plant

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #980 on: August 07, 2022, 06:01:55 PM »
Breaking: Senate Republicans have just blocked the $35/month insulin price cap for Americans on private insurance from Democrats' spending bill.

Rep. Eric Swalwell @RepSwalwell

Diabetics could’ve seen insulin costs capped at $35 a month. Instead they’ll continue to pay hundreds of dollars. Why? MAGA-Republicans are so obsessed with opposing Democratic solutions that they’ll screw anyone over if it means beating Democrats. Politics won. Patients lost.

https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell/status/1556294192464289793

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #980 on: August 07, 2022, 06:01:55 PM »


Offline Rick Plant

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #981 on: August 07, 2022, 10:29:58 PM »
The Associated Press @AP

BREAKING: Senate Democrats passed an election-year economic bill package focused on climate, taxes and health care with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris.

The bill includes the largest-ever federal effort on climate change — close to $400 billion. It caps out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors on Medicare to $2,000 a year and extends expiring subsidies that help 13 million people afford health insurance.


https://twitter.com/AP/status/1556359733812011009

Offline Rick Plant

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #982 on: August 07, 2022, 10:38:24 PM »
From @playbookdc:

"Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act will make Biden one of the most legislatively successful presidents of the modern era....In the long run, his first two years may be remembered as akin to LBJ when it comes to moving his agenda through Congress."





https://twitter.com/ChrisLu44/status/1556340068884926466

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #982 on: August 07, 2022, 10:38:24 PM »


Offline Rick Plant

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Re: U.S. Politics
« Reply #983 on: August 07, 2022, 10:44:28 PM »
The White House @WhiteHouse

Statement by President Biden on Senate passage of the Inflation Reduction Act:



https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1556370973988978688