Energy, tax, health care bill reached with Manchin and Schumer

By Rebecca Hammel - https://www.manchin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=844BF645-14EE-4751-9EC9-15317A6CA9D0, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12880274

A revised, alternate version of the Build Back Better bill was announced by Sen. Joe Manchin on July 27. It appears to be an agreement between Manchin and Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer on energy, taxes, and health care.

In a lengthy statement, Manchin said the new spending package would pay down the debt, reduce energy costs, and lower healthcare costs, in order to combat record inflation.

"Reconciliation debates in Washington have too often been defined by how they advance Democratic political agendas like Build Back Better. By bringing Americans together, we can make our country stronger rather than Build Back Better," he concluded.

“The revised legislative text will be submitted to the Parliamentarian for review this evening and the full Senate will consider it next week,” Manchin and Schumer said in a joint statement on July 27.

The two senators said the bill “will make a historic down payment on deficit reduction to fight inflation, invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030.” It will also allow Medicare to negotiate for prescription drugs and lower health care costs for Americans, they added.

28 July 2022