Joe Biden delays flight to Europe, meeting Pope to pitch domestic policy in DC
President Joe Biden headed to Capitol Hill early Thursday morning to make one last plea with House Democrats for a dramatically scaled-back domestic policy package to the tune of $1.75 trillion, which he believes can pass the 50-50 Senate.
Biden is expected to deliver remarks following his return to the White House detailing the revised framework for the Build Back Better deal.
If enacted, the package will profoundly impact the lives of American families with children and low-income households, and spark new life into the renewable energy economy.
The president has been eager to secure a deal before leaving later Thursday for global summits in Europe, as well as a meeting with Pope Francis, but changed his plans last-minute as the package continues to be revised.
Paid family leave and efforts to lower prescription drug pricing are now gone entirely from the package, according to senior administration officials.
But what is still included in the package could change the lives of millions of people, especially working class Americans with young children.
The package would include universal pre-school for all three- and four-year-olds to be funded for at least six years, subsidized child care, an extension of the Child Tax Credit which impacts approximately 35 million households across the country.
If enacted, it would also include expanded health care programs — including a $35 billion new hearing aid benefit for seniors on Medicare — and some $500 billion to take on climate change.
Biden will make remarks from the White House about the package, and a related $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan, before departing later Thursday on global summits.
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