But just hours later, Democrats filed into the chamber, joking about the lack of sleep. And if Democrats feared the political consequences, it was not evident from the final tally, which reflected support among those from the most competitive districts.
As the vote tally ticked past 218, Democrats began gleefully hugging and jubilantly dancing in the aisles of the House chamber, chanting “Build Back Better,” the name of the legislation. Once Ms. Pelosi gaveled the vote shut, lawmakers swarmed her on the House floor, yelling her name and cheering, as Republicans sat expressionless across the room.
“This is why we even run and serve in Congress, to pass legislation like this that impacts people’s everyday lives, to transform our material reality,” said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, after high-fiving staff outside the chamber. “It’s very rare that you vote on legislation that is as impactful as this.”
The only Democrat who opposed the bill, Representative Jared Golden of Maine, did so after raising concerns this month about the inclusion of a provision that would generously increase the federal tax deduction for state and local taxes paid, from $10,000 a year to $80,000. But he suggested in a series of statements on Twitter that his vote could still be won with changes to the so-called SALT proposal and other possible tweaks once it reaches the Senate.
Biden’s Social Policy Bill at a Glance
The action — after months of time-consuming maneuvering over the bill — was fueled in part by an eagerness among lawmakers to wrap up their work and leave Washington for their weeklong Thanksgiving recess. It came about eight months after Mr. Biden unveiled the first part of his domestic policy agenda, and after several near-death experiences for the package that have exposed deep divisions within his party.
The vote showed remarkable Democratic unity, given the struggle to get to it. A group of moderate and conservative holdouts, wary about the size of the bill, had held out for an official estimate before they would commit to supporting it.
But after the release on Thursday of section-by-section assessments from the Congressional Budget Office, the official fiscal scorekeeper, most were swayed. White House officials met privately with the group Thursday evening to walk them through the administration’s analysis and the budget tables, according to a person familiar with the discussion.
Source: NYT
