By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The federal government is once again facing a shutdown deadline, with funding set to expire at midnight Friday, January 30, just two months after the nation emerged from a prolonged lapse that disrupted lives far beyond Washington. That October to November shutdown left deep scars across the country. Families who rely on federal nutrition programs saw benefits delayed, reduced, or halted altogether. Some households receiving SNAP and WIC assistance stopped getting benefits entirely, while others received only partial payments. Many of those families are still struggling to recover, juggling rent, utilities, and food costs after weeks of instability caused by the funding lapse. Despite those recent consequences, Senate Republicans are moving ahead with plans to advance a sweeping funding package as a single vote, even as Democrats warn that no workable agreement has been reached. A Senate Republican leadership aide told NBC News that GOP leaders intend to press forward. “Government funding expires at the end of the week, and Republicans are determined to not have another government shutdown,” the aide said. “We will move forward as planned and hope Democrats can find a path forward to join us.” Democrats say discussions with Republicans and the White House have not produced a viable solution. A Senate Democratic leadership aide said outreach has occurred but “have not yet raised any realistic solutions.” The timeline remains tight. The House is on recess for the week, making it unlikely that any revised package requiring another vote could be approved before the deadline. Severe winter weather has also disrupted congressional schedules, further narrowing the window for negotiations as the clock runs down. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will block the current Department of Homeland Security funding bill, tying the standoff to broader concerns about immigration enforcement and public safety nationwide. “Senate Democrats will not allow the current DHS funding bill to move forward.,” Schumer stated. “The appalling murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis must lead Republicans to join Democrats in overhauling ICE and CBP to protect the public. Senate Republicans must work with Democrats to advance the other five funding bills while we work to rewrite the DHS bill.”
President Biden with Associate Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
By Char Adams, NBC News
President Joe Biden has appointed more federal judges of color than any president before him, and overtaking Donald Trump’s record for overall federal judge appointments in the process.
On Friday the Senate confirmed Biden’s judicial nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California Benjamin Cheeks. With Cheeks’ confirmation, Biden has appointed 63 Black federal judges, the most of a presidency of any length, according to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Earlier this month, the Senate confirmed Tiffany Johnson, Biden’s judicial nominee for the Northern District of Georgia, making her the 40th Black woman he has appointed to lifetime federal judgeships — more than any president in a single term. Overall, about 60% of Biden’s 235 appointees are people of color, according to figures the White House shared with NBC News. The Senate confirmed Cheeks and Serena Raquel Murillo last week.
Trump appointed 234 federal judges during his first term. White House communications director Ben LaBolt said in an emailed statement that Biden is “proud to have strengthened the judiciary by making it more representative of the country as a whole and that legacy will have an impact for decades to come.”
“Even before taking office, President Biden signaled to the Senate that he wanted to make sure that people who had been historically excluded from our judiciary” are included, said Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program and an adviser at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
“The research shows that when you have more judges that have different perspectives because they’ve worked on different types of issues or they come from different communities, it improves the decision-making and it certainly improves the trust that communities might have in these institutions. So making sure we have fair-minded judges at all levels is really important.”
Barack Obama appointed 26 Black women lifetime judges during his two terms, and Trump appointed two Black women judges to the federal bench in his first term. Jimmy Carter appointed 37 Black lifetime judges in his one term. Both Obama and Bill Clinton each appointed 62 Black judges over the course of their two terms. Biden has beaten their record by one, according to the Leadership Conference. These numbers include multiracial judges and account for those appointed to multiple courts under the same president.
Senate Democrats vowed to confirm as many Biden nominees as possible before Trump takes office in January and Republicans take control of the Senate. They’ve confirmed dozens since Election Day, but these circuit nominees are in limbo amid some opposition from Democrats as well as GOP senators.
In November, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a post on X that, “This Senate will keep working to confirm more of President Biden’s excellent judicial nominees.”
In an interview, Marge Baker, executive vice president at People For the American Way, a national progressive organization focused on combating far-right extremism, said it was crucial that the remaining nominees be confirmed.
“As pleased as we are with the quality and quantity of nominees that have been confirmed so far, these circuit court nominees are also really, really important,” Baker said. The four circuit judges in limbo are Adeel Abdullah Mangi of New Jersey, nominated for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals; Julia M. Lipez of Maine, 1st Circuit; Karla M. Campbell of Tennessee, 6th Circuit; and Ryan Young Park of North Carolina, 4th Circuit.
“These courts make decisions that affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people,” Baker added. “They decide questions about voting rights, about consumer rights, about workers’ rights, about antitrust laws, about climate change, about abortion. There’s just a whole range of issues where these courts of appeals are often the final deciders on.”
Biden has long made it his goal while in office to reshape the overwhelmingly white and male federal judiciary by appointing judges from various professional and demographic backgrounds. He’s managed to do that, confirming record numbers of former public defenders, civil rights lawyers or lawyers representing workers. More than half his appointees have been women, according to the White House, and his appointments include several LGBTQ judges and judges from several racial and ethnic minority groups.
Biden made history by appointing Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. Dozens of his appointments account for various “firsts.” “Biden has been a leader in terms of appointing Black judges,” said Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based think tank. “The great thing about this is that these appointments will have long-term impacts, at least in terms of representation. This is showing the public that the inclusion of Black judges should be natural, regular.”
Now, experts say the stakes are high as these appointments can affect court decisions during Trump’s second term. Elliot Mincberg, a Supreme Court expert and counsel for the People For the American Way, said Biden-appointed judges have “had an enormous impact on improving justice for Americans all across the country.”
Zwarensteyn called it “a tremendous and often not-discussed part” of Biden’s legacy. “He’s really taken it to what I would say is the next level in terms of administrations who have done this.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S., has delivered a scathing critique of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for new elections in Israel amidst ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Speaking from the Senate floor, Schumer emphasized that Netanyahu’s leadership no longer serves Israel’s best interests. “The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7,” Schumer proclaimed in a scathing takedown of Israel’s leader.
Schumer’s declaration marks a significant departure from traditional U.S. support for Israel’s government and highlights a pivotal moment in American Israeli relations.
As the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in U.S. history, Schumer’s call for Netanyahu’s ouster carries substantial weight, signaling a notable shift in the Democratic Party’s stance toward Israeli politics.
“The world has changed — radically — since then, and the Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past,” Schumer declared as he noted the urgency for change in Israel’s leadership.
Accusing Netanyahu of prioritizing his political survival over Israel’s best interests, Schumer condemned the Prime Minister’s alignment with “far-right extremists” within his government, warning that such alliances risk isolating Israel on the global stage.
“Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah,” Schumer demanded, stressing the need for Israel to recalibrate its approach to the conflict with Hamas and prioritize the protection of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Schumer voiced support for a temporary cease-fire, echoing President Joe Biden’s efforts to alleviate suffering in the region. However, he cautioned against a permanent cease-fire, citing concerns that it could encourage Hamas to launch further attacks on Israeli civilians. “There can never be a two-state solution if Hamas has any significant power,” Schumer emphasized while reiterating the importance of safeguarding Israel’s security.
Political watchers noted that Schumer’s bold stance underscores the complex dynamics at play in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and marks a pivotal moment in U.S. foreign policy as American lawmakers grapple with how best to support Israel while advocating for the rights of Palestinians.
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Following weeks of negotiations and just before Congress reconvened from its holiday recess, key Senate and House members announced their consensus on setting the total spending at nearly $1.66 trillion. The deal aligns with the agreement struck last year between President Joe Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a deal that faced strong opposition from conservative factions and led to McCarthy’s ouster by MAGA Republicans. The agreement includes a boost in Pentagon spending to $886.3 billion while keeping nondefense funding unchanged at $772.7 billion. The figure incorporates an additional $69 billion agreed upon through an informal arrangement between McCarthy and the White House. As a compromise, lawmakers would accelerate $10 billion in cuts to I.R.S. enforcement and reclaim $6 billion in unspent COVID funds and other emergency allocations. The agreed framework does not include the additional $14 billion requested by Senate appropriators from Republican and Democratic sides for increased domestic and military spending. “By securing the $772.7 billion for nondefense discretionary funding, we can protect key domestic priorities like veterans’ benefits, health care, and nutrition assistance from the draconian cuts sought by right-wing extremists,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a joint statement. Describing it as a “favorable arrangement for Democrats and the nation,” Schumer and Jeffries, stressed the necessity for a bipartisan approach in Congress to “prevent an expensive and disruptive shutdown.” In a communication to his GOP colleagues, House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted the Republicans’ achievement in securing spending reductions, particularly the additional money from the I.R.S. He argued that the outcome translates to tangible savings for American taxpayers and genuine reductions in the federal bureaucracy. Although Johnson hailed the agreement as a favorable spending deal for Republicans, he acknowledged that the final spending levels “may not satisfy everyone and do not achieve as much spending reduction as many would prefer.” Biden acknowledged that the deal “offers a pathway” to fund the government without significant cuts. He urged Congressional Republicans to fulfill their responsibilities, cease government shutdown threats, and allocate funding for critical domestic and national security priorities, including his supplemental request for Ukraine and Israel. With the initial deadline for passing four spending bills on Jan. 19, securing an overall agreement on total funding is just the initial phase of avoiding a shutdown. A subsequent deadline for finalizing the remaining eight appropriations bills, including the one for the Pentagon, looms on Feb. 2.
On Tuesday, Dec. 5, Vice President Kamala Harris broke the previous record set by John C. Calhoun in the 19th century for the most tie-breaking votes cast in the U.S. Senate. Harris has now cast 32 tie-breaking votes, eclipsing Calhoun’s record of 31 during his tenure as vice president from 1825 to 1832. The latest tiebreaker occurred during the confirmation of Loren Alikhan as a U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia. As vice president, Harris serves as the president of the Senate, granting her constitutional authority to break ties. Harris’s accomplishment is noteworthy not only for its historical significance but also in the context of the current political landscape. The U.S. Senate has been narrowly divided throughout the Biden administration, comprising 48 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and three independents. Of the independents, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine caucus with Democrats, while Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema left the Democratic Party in 2022 to register as an independent. The surge in tie-breaking votes contrasts with previous administrations, as former Vice President Mike Pence cast 13 tie-breaking votes, while President Joe Biden did not cast any during his vice presidential tenure in the eight years of the Obama administration. In a speech on the Senate floor earlier this year, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised her historic achievement. Schumer emphasized the circumstances of Harris’s tenure, characterized by a closely divided Senate and a highly partisan environment. He acknowledged the weighty responsibility placed on the vice president as president of the Senate, noting that Harris has played a crucial role in passing pivotal legislation. From the American Rescue Plan to the Inflation Reduction Act and the confirmation of federal judges, Schumer commended Harris for her contributions to the functioning of the Senate. “When it’s mattered most, Vice President Harris has provided the decisive vote on some of the most historic bills of modern times,” Schumer asserted. “All of us thank her for making the work of the Senate possible.”
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Kamala Harris, the groundbreaking Vice President who shattered glass ceilings as the first woman and person of color to hold the position, has again etched her name into the annals of history. On Wednesday, July 12, she equaled the record for the most tiebreaking votes ever cast by a Vice President in the U.S. Senate. Harris’s 31st tiebreaking vote propelled the nomination of Kalpana Kotagal to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The only vice president to accumulate such a significant number of tiebreaking votes was John C. Calhoun, who served from 1825 to 1832. Reflecting on her achievement, Harris spoke to reporters and expressed her commitment to paving the way for others. “It is a moment, and I think that there’s still so much left that we have yet to do,” she remarked. Drawing inspiration from her mother’s advice, she added, “My mother gave me great advice, which is that I may be the first to do many things. I’m going to make sure I’m not the last.” Unlike Calhoun, who accumulated his record over eight years, Harris matched the milestone in just two and a half years. This feat underscores her tenure’s unique circumstances, characterized by a narrowly divided Senate and a profoundly partisan atmosphere. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, lauded Harris’s historic tiebreaking vote in a speech delivered on the Senate Floor. “I want to note that this is a history-making moment for the United States Senate,” he declared. Schumer emphasized the weighty responsibility assigned to the Vice President as the President of the Senate, compelled to cast decisive votes in the event of an evenly split chamber. Schumer also commended Harris for her pivotal role in passing crucial legislation. “When it’s mattered most, Vice President Harris has provided the decisive vote on some of the most historic bills of modern times,” he stated. From the American Rescue Plan to the Inflation Reduction Act and the confirmation of numerous federal judges who now contribute to the balance of the federal bench, Harris has exemplified excellence in carrying out her duties, according to Schumer.The Majority Leader expressed gratitude on behalf of the Senate for Harris’s contributions.
DoD Secretary Lloyd Austin and Alabama Senator Tommy Tubberville
By: Josh Moon, Alabama Political Reporter
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a rare offensive, spent some time during Tuesday’s Senate Armed Services hearing to publicly call out Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s blockade of senior military promotions, saying the delays are hurting military readiness and will leave the military poorly positioned should it enter into a global conflict.
“There are a number of things happening globally that indicate that we could be in a contest on any one given day,” Austin said during the hearing. “Not approving the recommendations for promotions actually creates a ripple effect through the force that makes us far less ready than we need to be. The effects are cumulative and it will affect families. It will affect kids going to schools because they won’t be able to change their duty station. It’s a powerful effect and will have an impact on our readiness.”
Tuberville has blocked at least 160 promotions over the military’s policy that allows troops to be reimbursed for travel and granted leave to receive reproductive health care, including abortions. Tuberville argued that the new policy allows for taxpayer money to be spent on abortions.
“I want to be clear on this: My hold has nothing to do with the Supreme Court’s decision to the access of abortion,” Tuberville said. “This is about not forcing the taxpayers of this country to fund abortions.”
But the policy specifically doesn’t pay for abortions, only travel expenses for troops stationed in areas, such as Alabama, where all abortion services are illegal, to travel to neighboring states to receive legally provided care.
Austin said the policy is “on solid legal ground,” and said it provides some 80,000 female troops with access to care that they should have the option to receive but sometimes don’t because of where they are stationed, which is out of their control.
Regardless, Tuberville’s blockade of the promotions – a position that other Republicans on the Armed Services Committee have not joined – comes at the worst possible time. Hundreds of top-level military leaders have retired or are planning to retire in the coming few months. The Pentagon said more than 650 general and flag officers will require Senate confirmation soon, including at least 80 three- or four-star generals or admirals.
Armed Services chair Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) cautioned that, “If we cannot resolve the situation, we will be, in many respects, leaderless at a time of great conflict.”
Austin also spoke privately with Tuberville recently in hopes of moving him away from the blockade. Tuberville does not appear ready to budge.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, during a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday, criticized Tuberville and said his block of military promotions over a political issue risks politicizing a process that has until now remained above the political fray. “If every single one of us objected to the promotion of military personnel whenever we feel passionately or strongly about an issue, our military would simply grind to a halt,” Schumer said. “This level of obstruction—of routine military promotions—is a reckless departure from Senate norm; none of us want to live in a world where military appointments get routinely politicized and that’s just what the Senator from Alabama is doing.
Rev. Raphael Warnock won a narrow victory in the Georgia runoff for the U. S. Senate seat against Hershel Walker, former Georgia football star.
With 99% of precincts reporting, Warnock received 1,814,827 (51.4%) votes to 1,719, 376 (48.6%) for Walker, a margin of over 95,000 votes. Warnock improved his margins over Walker in urban areas and held down Walker’s winning percentage in Republican rural and suburban areas.
With his re-election to the U. S. Senate, Warnock gives the Democratic party 51 votes to 49 for Republicans. President Joe Biden and Senate Majority leader, Chuck Schumer, were quick to congratulate Warnock on his victory. Former President Donald Trump, who supported and endorsed Walker, was credited for another loss by a MAGA-Republican candidates for major offices in the 2022 mid-term election cycle.
During the midterm election, Democrats flipped one seat when Lt. Gov. John Fetterman defeated Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania. The win assured Democrats of at least 50 seats and the majority because Vice President Kamala Harris counted as the tie-breaking vote. However, a 51-49 edge could allow Democrats freedom from conservative West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who blocked some of President Joe Biden’s agenda during the administration’s first two years. With 51 votes, Democrats can now afford to lose a member and still pass legislation (Although, with Republicans seizing control of the House, it’s unlikely any meaningful legislation will pass during the next two years). “Democrats need to gain every seat they can from the 2022 election cycle. Holding the Senate this year is a massive achievement, but keeping it again in two years’ time will be a gargantuan task,” Political Analyst Chris Cillizza wrote. “Democrats would much rather start the 2024 cycle with a bit of cushion provided by a Warnock win.” An evenly divided Senate “slows everything down,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer remarked. “So, it makes a big difference to us.” Further, in a 50-50 Senate, committees are evenly split between the two parties, which causes additional steps when a vote is tied. That forces the party in the majority to hold votes on the Senate floor to move bills or nominees forward. With a Warnock win, Democrats would stand in position to hold an extra seat on every committee, making it much easier to move nominees or legislation on party-line votes. “It’s always better with 51 because we’re in a situation where you don’t have to have an even makeup of the committees,” Biden said after Fetterman’s victory. “And so that’s why it’s important, mostly. But it’s just simply better. The bigger the numbers, the better.” With a 51-seat majority, Vice President Harris doesn’t have to remain close to Washington when the Senate votes. Harris already has broken 26 ties in two years in office, doubling what former Vice President Mike Pence did during his four-year term. Earlier this year, Harris reminded everyone that the nation’s first vice president, John Adams, had cast 29 tie-breaking votes during his two terms from 1789 to 1797. “So, as vice president, I’m also the president of the United States Senate. And in that role, I broke John Adams’s record of casting the most tie-breaking votes in a single term,” Harris said in September. “This kid who was born in Oakland, California, and graduated from an HBCU just broke the record of John Adams. We should all fully appreciate how history can take a turn.”
After more than a year of infighting, President Joe Biden’s climate agenda has cleared a significant hurdle. On Sunday, Senate Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 in a 51-50 decision that went along party lines and saw Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote, reports The Washington Post. If passed by the House, the 755-page bill would authorize the single largest expenditure to combat climate change in the nation’s history. In all, the legislation calls for $370 billion in spending to reduce US greenhouse emissions by approximately 40 percent by the end of this decade. Among the climate change provisions most likely to affect consumers is a reworked federal EV tax credit. The Inflation Reduction Act would provide up to $7,500 in subsidies for electric SUVs, trucks and vans that cost less than $80,000 and cars under $55,000. It would also allow people to claim up to $4,000 when buying a used EV. In both cases, an income ceiling would prevent those who make more than the average American from taking advantage of the legislation. On top of EV subsidies, the $370 billion in investments set aside by the bill would incentivize the building of wind, solar and other renewable power sources. The act also calls for the creation of a $1.5 billion program that would pay companies that reduce their methane output.
With Sunday’s vote, the Inflation Reduction Act now moves to the House, which will return from its summer recess on Friday. For much of 2021 and the first half of 2022, President Biden’s Build Back Better plan looked doomed to go nowhere due to opposition from Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. In late July, however, Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced they had come to a compromise. The act contains tax provisions which will have major companies, earning more than a billion dollars a year in profits, will pay a minimum tax of 15%. There is a 1% special tax on corporations who buy back their stock rather than invest in new business expansion. The Internal Revenue Service will gain additional staff to pursue taxpayers who are not paying their fair share of taxes. In exchange for Manchin’s support, the Inflation Reduction Act includes a provision that would see the federal government reinstate canceled oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Cook Inlet. While that concession upset environmentalists, it’s not expected to undo the good the Inflation Reduction Act is poised to do for the environment. According to one estimate by Princeton University’s Zero Lab, the bill could reduce US greenhouse emissions by about 6.3 billion tons through 2032.
(TriceEdneyWire.com) – Frequently compared to President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, the $1.9 trillion package – the Build Back Better Act – includes investments in child and elder care, universal pre-K and an extension of the child tax credit to provide economic security for tens of millions of working families and pathways to return to the job market. It also addresses the adverse effects of climate change.
“Honoring President Biden’s vision and addressing the needs of the American people, this legislation presents the most historic and transformative agenda in a century. Build Back Better will forge extraordinary progress for the American people: creating good-paying jobs, lowering costs and cutting taxes, while making the wealthiest and big corporations pay their fair share,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a letter to her colleagues.
The Build Back Better Act provides a list of social benefits that would address issues of high importance to African-Americans. President Biden hopes it will be passed by the predominately Democratic Senate and reach his desk shortly after Thanksgiving. Among the benefits:
Lowers Health Care Costs:
Approximately 3.9 million Black people were uninsured in 2019. Despite the Affordable Care Act’s premium subsidies, coverage under the ACA was too expensive for many families, and more than 570,000 Black people fell into the Medicaid “coverage gap” and were locked out of coverage because their state refused to expand Medicaid. President Biden’s framework closes the Medicaid coverage gap while also lowering health care costs for those buying coverage through the ACA by extending the American Rescue Plan’s lower premiums, which could save 360,000 black people an average of $50 per person per month. With these changes, more than one in three uninsured Black people could gain coverage. It also makes an historic investment in maternal health. Black women die from complications related to pregnancy at three times the rate of White women. The legislation will also: • Empower Medicare to negotiate lower drug costs for seniors and halts Big Pharma’s outrageous price hikes above inflation for all Americans.Ensure Americans with diabetes don’t pay more than $35 per month for their insulin. • Create a new, out-of-pocket cap of $2,000 on what seniors pay for their drugs in Medicare Part D. • Lower premiums dramatically for those who buy insurance on their own through the Affordable Care Act. • Extend affordable coverage through the Affordable Care Act to millions of Americans in states that have refused to expand Medicaid. • Expand Medicare to make hearing care more affordable for seniors. Lowers Child Care & Family Care Costs:
The cost of child care has placed a serious financial burden on Black parents who are two times more likely than White parents to have to quit, turn down, or make a major change in their job due to child care disruptions. In addition, only 26.8 percent of Black 3- and 4-year old children are enrolled in publicly-funded preschool, while the average cost of preschool for those without access to publicly-funded programs is $8,600. Most families will save more than half of what they currently spend on child care, and the vast majority of families will pay no more than 7 percent of their income for child care. It will also reduce the cost of home-based care for the hundreds of thousands of older adults and people with disabilities who need it but lack access. Investment in home care will raise wages for home care workers, 28 percent of whom are Black. The Build Back Better Act also saves most families more than half their current spending on child care, ensuring the vast majority of families will have to pay no more than 7 percent of their income for child care. It also: • Expands the basic promise of free schooling in America for the first time in 100 years with universal pre-school for all 3- and 4-year-olds. • Establishes a universal and permanent paid family and medical leave program, providing four weeks of paid parental, family caregiving, and medical leave. • Gives more than 35 million families a major tax cut by extending the Biden Child Tax Credit. • Expands access to high-quality home care for older adults and people with disabilities. • Cuts the cost of postsecondary education, with such steps as increasing the maximum Pell Grant. • Reduces families’ housing costs and expands housing options. Housing and Nutrition
The coronavirus pandemic exposed and created many inequities related to housing and left millions of Americans in fear of facing eviction or foreclosure. Thirty percent of Black renters pay over half their income in rent. The Build Back Better Act will enable the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of more than one million affordable homes, boosting housing supply and reducing price pressures for renters and homeowners. It also will make investments to improve the safety, energy efficiency, and quality of existing public housing, where nearly half of residents are black, and expands the availability of housing choice vouchers to hundreds of thousands more families, including the nearly half of current voucher holders who are Black. In addition, it calls for the removal of lead-based paint from housing units, which disproportionately affects Black children, and provides grants for resident-led community development projects in neighborhoods that have faced systemic disinvestment.
Food insecurity is another problem that has disproportionately affected Black households at a higher rate than the national average, particularly during the pandemic. To help ensure that no one has to worry about whether they can provide nutritious food for themselves or their children, the Build Back Better framework will ensure that the nutritional needs of Black children are met by expanding access to free school meals during the school year and providing students with resources to purchase food over the summer.
What’s Next?
On the night the Build Back Better vote was to take place, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy forced a delay until the following morning by delivering an 8 hour, 32-minute floor speech—the longest in House history—during which he assailed the legislation as “big government socialism.” And, as with most legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, not a single Republican supported the bill, which also lost the support a lone Democrat who voted against it. Now it’s the Senate’s turn. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hopes to pass the bill by Christmas, but he first has to convince all 50 Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them to back the plan. It won’t be easy. The paid family leave provision may be cut to satisfy a demand from Sen. Joe Manchin, and Sen. Bernie Sanders will call for provisions in such areas as Medicare and climate to be strengthened. Any changes to the legislation will have to be voted on in the House, where Pelosi holds a razor-thin majority and can only afford three defections from her party.
In the meantime, Democrats have some selling to do. Many of the bill’s provisions won’t go into effect until after the 2022 mid-term election cycle where Democrats will go head to head for control of both houses. They will need to convince the American public of the many ways their lives will be made easier and more affordable by the Build Back Better Act.
