Washington, Nov 5 (AFP/APP):Lawmakers were set to vote Friday on giant twin bills at the center of Joe Biden’s $3 trillion plan to fix America’s crumbling transport network, expand its social safety net and tackle the climate crisis, on the biggest day so far of his presidency.
Success on both fronts would be a huge boon to Biden, 10 months after he swept to the White House promising the pandemic-devastated nation he would “build back better” — before seeing his popularity plunge.
The House of Representatives was expected to pass the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package for Biden to sign into law after taking a vote to advance an even bigger social welfare bill, worth up to $1.85 trillion, to the Senate.
“I’m asking every House member… to vote yes on both these bills right now. Send the infrastructure bill to my desk, send the Build Back Better bill to the Senate,” Biden said in a televised address from the White House.
“Let’s build on incredible economic progress, build on what we’ve already done, because this will be such a boost when it occurs. Let’s show the world that America’s democracy can deliver and propel our country forward.”