It took a year to accomplish. Every Republican senator voted against addressing climate change, and bringing down the cost of prescription drugs. Shame on them.
The Senate on Sunday passed Democrats' sweeping economic package designed to combat climate change, address health care costs and raise taxes on large corporations, marking a crucial achievement for President Biden and his party as they look to maintain their hold on Congress in the November midterm elections.
The plan, called the Inflation Reduction Act, cleared the upper chamber by a vote of 51 to 50 along party lines, with Vice President Kamala Harris providing the tie-breaking vote in the evenly divided Senate. Democrats used a fast-track legislative process known as reconciliation to pass the measure in the face of unanimous opposition from Republicans.
"It's been a long, tough and winding road but at last, at last, we have arrived," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor as members prepared to vote for final passage. "Today, after more than a year of hard work, the Senate is making history. I am confident the Inflation Reduction Act will endure as one of the defining legislative feats of the 21st century."
I think Biden has been a pretty good President so far given the circumstances and what he has to work with. It seems a lot of folks these days have unrealistic expectations and are too hung up on personality.
It is my understanding that it limits "out of pocket MEDICARE" to $2K...nothing for Insurance companies except to extend ACA subsidies another 3 years and negotiate "some" prescription costs...where they WERE going to have a FLAT 15% TAX on anyone making OVER $1Billion ... That was replace with 1% on any STOCK BUYBACK...which means Companies will simply stop the buy back and wait till the 2024 Presidential election in the hopes that Trump or DeSantis get slimed in and the they will all get another TAX CUT...THANKS TO MANCHIN AND SINEMA. SMFH
@phoenixone1 To many politicians in this country have been bought off by big money special interests.
@Dhiltong you are correct...they ALL are wined and dined when they are elected...but you can tell by their voting history which ones are the most corrupt.
Cool, now can we make this apply to insurance companies as well instead of just Medicaid?
Arizona senator Krysten Sinema refused to make it apply to companies.
We needed 50 senators to vote for the bill.
@LiterateHiker that's a piss poor excuse for not helping those in need.
With 100% Republican opposition, we needed her vote to pass the bill.
Don't you realize the Senate is split 50/50 between Republicans and Democrats?
That's why Kamala Harris provided the tie-breaking vote.
@LiterateHiker yes, I do understand that. And it's still a piss poor excuse not to help people in need. A lot of us who make too much for Medicaid are worse off than those that are on it. I'm tired as fuck of not being helped when I do my civic duty in every damn election that I've been able to vote it. There needs to be a time when we step up and say "It's not enough," and make them help us.
@Jurnee I believe the best we can hope for is to add more Democratic Senators to the Senate and hold on to the house. The repubs are bought and paid for by their rich donors, so the only way to get help to the people who need it, such as yourself, is to keep voting for people who actually care about us.
@Jurnee Unfortunately that is how the Senate works. Precisely why we need more Democrats in the Senate so Senators like Manchin and Sinema can’t hold the other Democrats hostage with their ridiculous demands.
@Redheadedgammy again, as you've probably read in previous comments of mine, that's a fucking piss poor excuse. Their job is to help us and they aren't doing it. They need to be held accountable for their lack of action now. To just say “That's how the Senate works," and keep going with life, shows that you also are complicit by settling for less than we should.
@Jurnee It is the reality we have right now until we can get more Senators in the Senate that want to help. Believe me, it’s as upsetting to me as it is to you. Our system isn’t perfect and we have to work with what we have until we can get rid of more repubs.
@Redheadedgammy it clearly is not just as upsetting to you as you have demonstrated that you are ok to sit back and let it happen until you can vote in another election. Lack of action outside the polls leads to a vote for someone else who will refuse to help us on the basis that, "The ones who will won't get elected."
Stop being negative. What volunteer work are you doing to help people?
Since 2006, I have been a volunteer college mentor at the high school. These students are the first person in their family to go to college. I help low income students- mostly children of immigrants- write essays for college and scholarship applications.
With English as a second language, they have trouble writing in English. Even with perfect grades. I teach them writing and organizational skills.
In 2022, Alexandria won 25 scholarships and grants: $68,009. Most are renewable. Alexandria was accepted by the prestigious Univ. of Washington. She plans to be a research scientist.
"I am a beacon of hope in my neighborhood," Teresa said in 2016. "My younger siblings and neighbor kids look up to me. I am inspiring them to stay in school, get good grades, not drop out, not join gangs, not get pregnant and go to college."
In 2020 Teresa and her brother bought their parents their first house. Wow!
@Jurnee I am going door to door getting people registered to vote, so I am not sitting on my ass at home doing nothing. I am making phone calls for Beto here in Texas, I am sending post cards to voters telling them how to get registered. What are YOU doing besides complaining that “nobody is doing anything to help” Please get off the pity party train and start doing whatever you can.
For you to make blanket comments that I “clearly I am not as upset as you and sitting back and doing nothing until I vote” is bullshit. Stop attacking the people who are doing something!
@Redheadedgammy You tell 'em, Rhonda!
@Jurnee Something is better than nothing.
We got to keep if not expand the democrats in the Senate and Congress.
We can surely try.