CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) — Congress has approved and President Biden has signed a $1.2 trillion bill to fix physical infrastructure such as roads, highways and bridges. Now, the White House wants Congress to pass the $1.75 trillion social infrastructure bill known as “Build Back Better.” It would include universal pre-kindergarten, adult home health care and more.
“We really need the other half, which is the childcare, the elder care, the child tax credit. All those things enable people to get to work. You still can’t get to work if you don’t have any childcare,” said Gary Zuckett of the West Virginia Citizen Action Group.
Advocates say the Child Tax Credit enables parents to buy clothes, school supplies and food for their children.
“It’s brought so many kids in West Virginia out of poverty,” said Zuckett of WV Citizen Action.
The Senate Republicans including West Virginia’s Shelley Moore Capito are opposed to Build Back Better. But Democrats need the votes from their entire caucus, and once again, the key swing vote is West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin who remains uncommitted.
“I’m looking at the whole package. We just received it from the Senate. Our staff is going through it. It’s a very large piece of legislation. I want to make sure we don’t add any more debt to an already inflated economy that we have. The inflation is going up,” said Sen. Joe Manchin, (D) West Virginia.
Manchin anticipates some White House visits.
“I think the president and I will have some good conversations about all this,” Sen, Manchin said.
The House has already passed, “Build Back Better.” Senate leaders hope to hold their vote before Christmas.
If Democrats and Republicans tie in the U.S. Senate, with 50 votes apiece, Vice President Kamala Harris would be brought in to break the tie and ‘Build Back Better’ would be approved.