Page 2 - aruba-today-20220808

A2 UP FRONT
Monday 8 august 2022
Continued from Front GOP opposition, Demo- Leader Mitch McConnell,
"Today, Senate Democrats cratic unity in the 50-50 R-Ky., argued.
sided with American fami- chamber held, keeping In an ordeal imposed
lies over special interests," the party on track for a on most budget bills like
President Joe Biden said morale-boosting victory this one, the Senate had
in a statement from Re- three months from elec- to endure an overnight
hoboth Beach, Delaware. tions when congressional "vote-a-rama" of rapid-fire
"I ran for President promis- control is at stake. amendments. Each tested
ing to make government The bill ran into trouble mid- Democrats' ability to hold
work for working families day over objections to the together the compromise
again, and that is what this new 15% corporate mini- bill negotiated by Schumer,
bill does — period." mum tax that private equi- progressives, Manchin and
Biden, who had his share ty firms and other industries the inscrutable centrist Sen.
of long nights during his disliked, forcing last-minute Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.
three decades as a sena- changes. Progressive Sen. Bernie
tor, called into the Senate Despite the momentary Sanders, I-Vt., criticized
cloakroom during the vote President Joe Biden walks to board Marine One on the South setback, the "Inflation Re- the bill's shortcomings and
Lawn of the White House in Washington on his way to his Re-
on speakerphone to per- hoboth Beach, Del., home, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. duction Act" gives Demo- offered amendments to
sonally thank the staff for Associated Press crats a campaign-season further expand the legisla-
their hard work. showcase for action on tion's health benefits, but
The president urged the at last we have arrived," Senators engaged in a coveted goals. It includes those efforts were defeat-
House to pass the bill as said Senate Majority Lead- round-the-clock marathon the largest-ever federal ef- ed. Republicans forced
soon as possible. Speak- er Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of voting that began Satur- fort on climate change — their own votes designed to
er Nancy Pelosi said her ahead of final votes. day and stretched late into close to $400 billion — caps make Democrats look soft
chamber would "move "The Senate is making his- Sunday afternoon. Demo- out-of-pocket drug costs on U.S.-Mexico border se-
swiftly to send this bill to the tory. I am confident the crats swatted down some for seniors on Medicare to curity and gasoline and en-
president's desk." House Inflation Reduction Act will three dozen Republican $2,000 a year and extends ergy costs, and like bullies
votes are expected Friday. endure as one of the defin- amendments designed expiring subsidies that help for wanting to strengthen
"It's been a long, tough and ing legislative feats of the to torpedo the legislation. 13 million people afford IRS tax law enforcement.
winding road, but at last, 21st century," he said. Confronting unanimous health insurance. By raising Before debate began, the
corporate taxes and reap- bill's prescription drug price
ing savings from the long- curbs were diluted by the
sought goal of allowing the Senate's nonpartisan par-
government to negotiate liamentarian who said a
drug prices for Medicare, provision should fall that
the whole package is paid would impose costly penal-
for, with some $300 billion ties on drug makers whose
extra revenue for deficit re- price increases for private
duction. insurers exceed inflation.
Barely more than one-tenth It was the bill's chief pro-
the size of Biden's initial 10- tection for the 180 mil-
year, $3.5 trillion Build Back lion people with private
Better initiative, the new health coverage they get
package abandons earlier through work or purchase
proposals for universal pre- themselves. Under special
school, paid family leave procedures that will let
and expanded child care Democrats pass their bill by
aid. That plan collapsed af- simple majority without the
ter conservative Sen. Joe. usual 60-vote margin, its
Manchin, D-W.Va., op- provisions must be focused
posed it, saying it was too more on dollar-and-cents
costly and would fuel infla- budget numbers than pol-
tion. icy changes.
Nonpartisan analysts have But the thrust of Democrats'
said the 755-page "Inflation pharmaceutical price lan-
Reduction Act" would have guage remained. That in-
a minor effect on surging cluded letting Medicare
consumer prices. negotiate what it pays for
Republicans said the new drugs for its 64 million el-
measure would undermine derly recipients, penalizing
an economy that policy- manufacturers for exceed-
makers are struggling to ing inflation for pharma-
keep from plummeting into ceuticals sold to Medicare
recession. They said the and limiting beneficiaries
bill's business taxes would out-of-pocket drug costs to
hurt job creation and force $2,000 annually.
prices skyward, making it The bill also caps Medicare
harder for people to cope patients' costs for insulin,
with the nation's worst infla- the expensive diabetes
tion since the 1980s. medication, at $35 month-
"Democrats have already ly. Democrats wanted to
robbed American families extend the $35 cap to pri-
once through inflation, and vate insurers but it ran afoul
now their solution is to rob of Senate rules. Most Re-
American families a sec- publicans voted to strip it
ond time," Senate Minority from the package, q