The Colorado Springs Gazette final

Biden high on child care, low on bill spending

President on budget reconciliation: ‘We’re not going to get $3.5 trillion’

The Washington Examiner

President Joe Biden said Friday that his social safety net budget reconciliation package won’t hit the $3.5 trillion price tag outlined by Democratic leaders over the summer.

Biden was in Connecticut in an effort to bring his sweeping social welfare and climate legislation across the finish line. The bill, intended to be passed on a party-line basis, has been held up by divisions among Democrats over its price tag and contents.

His comments, delivered during remarks at a Connecticut child care center, mark the first time the president appeared to concede fully that he would need to reduce the scope of the bill to secure votes from centrist Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

“When I hear people say it costs $3.5 trillion, I’ll be honest with you, we’re probably not going to get $3.5 trillion this year,” the president said. “We’re gonna get something less than that, but I’m going to negotiate. I’m going to get it done.”

The president was in the midst of making a pitch for one of the more popular policies, the child tax credit. “The money’s already a game-changer,” he said. Although Republicans have historically supported child tax credits, he pointed to their votes against the American Rescue Plan.

“My friends on the other side never had any problem providing $2 trillion in tax cuts for the very wealthy,” Biden said.

The 2017 Republican tax reduction signed into law by former President Donald Trump expanded the child tax credit, though Democrats argued too many lower-income families were excluded.

Biden reiterated the reduced price tag near the tail end of his speech.

“I’m convinced we’re going to get it done. We’re not going to get $3.5 trillion,” he said in closing. “We’ll get less than that, but we’re going to get it, and we’re going to come back and get the rest.”

NATION & WORLD

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2021-10-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.gazette.com/article/281745567577216

The Gazette, Colorado Springs