Dems push climate, health and tax bill over finish line

The House late Friday passed a sweeping bill from Democrats that would advance their climate, tax and health care agenda, sending the legislation to Biden’s desk and securing a huge win for the president and his party less than three months from the midterm elections.

All 220 Democrats voted for the $740 billion bill, which includes provisions to increase taxes on corporations, address climate change, decrease the prices of prescription drugs and bring down the deficit.

More work to do: The legislation makes historic changes to the health care system, but Democrats acknowledged they wished they could have done more.

• “It’s a great bill; it’s historic,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters this week in the Capitol. “I want more, of course — we always want more. But this is a great deal.”
• “People like me wanted a lot more, right? But the bottom line is you can only get done what’s possible within the reality you’re living,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).

The exclusions have prompted some grumbling from progressive lawmakers who’d fought for a more expansive package, but none of them opposed the bill.