Democrats near critical vote on signature climate, tax, and health care proposals

Democrats are nearing an important vote, keeping the climate agenda intact.

One of the pillars of the party's plan to cut the cost of drugs, which will affect the private sector, has been overruled by a Senate bipartisan rule ruling. was done.

Democrats survived scrutiny in the Medicare portion of the prescription drug reform plan, but drug companies raised prices for individuals with private health insurance It lost support in another pillar that penalized the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday.

The announcement will hit the party's signed domestic policy bill ahead of a crucial procedural vote later Saturday. But Schumer also highlighted the positive side. The Senate's bipartisan rules tribunal, which determines which clauses are eligible to circumvent Republican filibusters under the House's strict rules, has approved Medicare-related drug price negotiations.

"This is a big win for the American people," Schumer said in a statement. “There was one disappointing ruling… the overall program remains the same, and we are finally one step closer to taking on Big Pharma and lowering the price of Rx drugs for millions of Americans.”

Private Sector Employers Price benefits for millions of Americans with health insurance through the US are tough, and Democrats also got some good news overnight about climate change plans - Senate rules arbitration has approved an energy clause in the bill that includes a tax credit for electric vehicles and a bonus tax credit to encourage clean energy developers to pay common wages.

“We are particularly pleased that our General Wage Code has been approved. These codes ensure wage rates for clean energy projects. ,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said in a statement.

Congress is gearing up for a pivotal vote to advance the bill late Saturday afternoon. We had been fighting over the setting plan for weeks. Republicans argued that the savings wrought by the mandate, particularly involving the private insurance market, could be viewed as a side effect of the policy's budget, rather than the primary purpose of violating Senate budget rules.

Some budget experts believe thatcertain conditions imposed on the electric vehicle tax creditwere determined by Democrats, including restrictions on where vehicle battery materials could be sourced. They speculated that they violated the budget rules that guide their process. It is used to pass legislation by simple majority and to avoid filibusters.

Under current proposals, a vehicle can only qualify for full credit if the battery is manufactured using materials from theUnited States or a country that has trade agreements with the United States. Eligible. Experts argue that it will be very difficult to get the tax credit.

However, it seems likely that these provisions will remain in the package. The decision is likely to please Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who wanted restrictions to curb the electric car industry's reliance on China.

In addition to the provision for electric vehicles, Democrats also retained another element of the bill's climate section. It is a proposed tariff for oil and gas companies whose methane emissions exceed a certain level.

Importantly, the fate of the key health-care provisions Democrats seek in the bill remains uncertain. Lowering insulin prices is a top priority.Republicans are trying to block the insulin proposal, arguing that the policy impact on the private market will outweigh the budget impact.

Saturday The procedural hurdles, once cleared by Democrats, would spark up to 20 hours of debate, evenly split by both Democrats and Republicans. But neither side of the aisle is expected to use full time. .

Rather, senators are likely eager to initiate a marathon amendment process known as "vote-a-rama." This is his package for the party line developed over a year. The Senate will have to endure a revision marathon before Democrats finally approve the bill in its entirety.