Politics
VP Kamala Harris uses tie-breaking power to pass Biden's Inflation Reduction Act
Senators voted along party lines to open debate with a final vote expected Sunday.
August 6, 2022 9:25pm
Updated: August 7, 2022 3:51pm
Vice President Kamala Harris cast a tie-breaking vote Saturday to advance President Joe Biden's massive spending, tax and climate legislation in the Senate.
The 51-50 party line vote allowed senators to begin debate on the legislation, which includes $400 billion in spending and $700 billion in taxes and revenue increases.
Republicans planned to offer about four dozen amendments to force vulnerable Democrats like Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Raphael Warnock of Georgia to take a series of tough votes on everything from border security to taxes.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell argued the legislation “will kill American jobs and hammer our manufacturing sector” and “have no meaningful impact on global temperatures whatsoever.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed the legislation as a “groundbreaking bill for the American people, for families struggling to pay the bills, for seniors struggling to pay for medication, for kids struggling with asthma.”
The 755-page bill is expected to win final approval Sunday evening.
