Democrats will use the reconciliation process to try passing whatever programs can be salvaged from the doomed Build Back Better agenda, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.
Democrats have hatched plans to vote on aspects from the bill, such as a child tax credit, universal pre-k, and paid sick leave, apart from the larger bill that failed due to a lack of support from Republicans and centrist Democratic Sen Joe Manchin. And if they need to go through the reconciliation process to spurn GOP opposition, they’re prepared to do that.
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“We have 50 votes in the Senate,” Psaki said. “We’re going to get as much — a big mountain-sized chunk, whatever you want to call it — as much as we can of the Build Back Better agenda that we can get 50 votes for.”
Psaki mentioned Utah Sen. Mitt Romney by name as a supporter of some proposals, but she doubted he’d be able to find nine friends on his side of the aisle willing to go for it.
Romney unveiled a proposal last February that would give parents up to $4,200 per year for every child under the age of 6 and $3,000 annually for older children up to age 17. Several conservatives came out against it, worried it would increase dependence on the welfare state and comparing it to a universal basic income.
“Is there a proposal where there are 10 Republican [supporters]?” Psaki asked rhetorically. “I’m not aware of one. Maybe there is.”
Build Back Better was to serve as the crown jewel of the Biden and Democratic Party economic agenda but is now stalled indefinitely.
Manchin opposed the high cost as well as several key provisions, including green energy policies favoring renewable energy and the recurring child tax payment, which he believes should come with a work requirement.
On Thursday, Manchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled a glimmer of hope that they would pass at least part of Build Back Better.
Manchin told reporters he is renewing talks with Biden on another version of the bill, but he said the two would have to start from scratch.
Pelosi told reporters she is optimistic, even if the original bill never becomes law.
“I’m sure we can agree upon something significant,” Pelosi said.
When a reporter asked Psaki if Democrats are still focused on using reconciliation in order to do so without the GOP, she said, “absolutely.”
Reconciliation is a budgetary tool that can only be used twice a year, but it helps avoid the filibuster in the evenly divided Senate and allows legislation to pass with Democratic votes alone.
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“If there are 10 Republicans who want to come support the child tax credit or something else, great!” Psaki said. “None of us know why they’re ceding the ground on supporting the lowering of child care costs to us, but so far, they have.”
