President Joe Biden aimed Thursday to turn his win on sweeping infrastructure reform into success on the social welfare plank of his historic domestic agenda as lawmakers moved towards a vote on his Build Back Better blueprint.
Earlier this month Congress passed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure act -- America's biggest public-works package since Dwight Eisenhower created the interstate highway system in 1956.
House Democrats are on track to follow that by passing the party-line $1.75 trillion "human infrastructure" package as early as Thursday, although spiraling gas and food prices have given pause to moderates already jittery about the scope of Biden's spending proposals.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters in Congress the necessary procedural steps and a vote on final passage "hopefully, will take place later this afternoon."
Earlier she wrote to her members arguing that Build Back Better would provide for "transformational and historic action on health care, family care and climate that will make a significant difference in the lives of millions of Americans."
"It will create millions of good-paying jobs, lower families' costs and cut their taxes, while making the wealthiest few and big corporations pay their fair share," she said.
US President Joe Biden, pictured at the White House on November 18, 2021, has seen his infrastructure victory lap overshadowed by inflation worries Photo: AFP / MANDEL NGAN
Annual inflation jumped to 6.2 percent last month, giving Republicans another cudgel to bash Biden with as they bid to retake both chambers of Congress in next year's midterm elections.
House Democrats, who cannot afford to lose more than three members to win any party-line vote, are projecting optimism that they can overcome persistent infighting over the price tag that has dogged debate over Build Back Better for months.
A handful of centrist Democrats want a full analysis from the Congressional Budget Office to clarify the cost of the package before they will agree to vote.
But the CBO issued a statement saying it expected to complete that work "this afternoon," making a Thursday vote more likely.
Before it can reach the House floor the bill has to jump through one final hoop that could slow progress -- a guarantee from the Senate Parliamentarian that it complies with the rules that would allow it to advance from the upper chamber on a simple majority vote.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi talks to reporters during her weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol Photo: GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA via AFP / CHIP SOMODEVILLA
"We are going to keep working on this important legislation until we get it done," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a speech on the floor.
Even if the House passes the bill this week, there's still a rocky road ahead as it faces rewrites in the upper chamber, and it may not even be considered by senators until December or possibly even January.
The Senate has been locked in a 50-50 split for one of the longest periods in its history, and, with no votes to spare, every Democrat effectively has a veto on any bill as long as Republicans stick together.
Progressives in both chambers are pushing for a national paid family leave program and a bigger expansion of health care benefits, but the latest inflation data could harm those efforts.
West Virginia's Senator Joe Manchin, the biggest Democratic obstacle to getting the legislation to Biden's desk, has indicated he is opposed to family leave, one of the most popular planks of the package.
He has argued in any case that the Democrats should pump the brakes on spending until inflation is brought under control.
Tensions between moderates and progressives in the House have eased as they look to clear the bill -- but it remains unclear whether either side will vote for the version that comes back from the Senate.
The White House has tried to frame the president's agenda as a long-term answer to rocketing prices, highlighting statements this week from leading ratings agencies that it would not worsen the problem.
"Our Build Back Better Act will help lift long-term economic growth through stronger productivity and labor force growth -- and not add inflationary pressures to the economy," Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement.
Many economists agree, but say the problem could still get worse next year before relief comes.
