build back better

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer gives the thumbs up as he leaves the Senate Chamber after passage of the Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday.

Politics & Government

Democrats passed a major climate, health and tax bill. Here's what's in it

9:53pm August 07, 2022

by Deepa Shivaram

Senate Democrats spent the weekend advancing what they call a historic piece of legislation, but it's still a much smaller version of what they — and President Biden — originally called for.

Local residents, Cara Baldari and her nine-month-old daughter Evie (L) and Sarah Orrin-Vipond and her eight-month-old son Otto (R), join a rally in front of the U.S. Capitol December 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. The monthly Child Tax Credit payments expire

3.7 million more kids are in poverty without the monthly Child Tax Credit, study says

2:04pm February 18, 2022

by Deepa Shivaram

In one month, the child poverty rate increased from 12.1 to 17 percent, the highest rate seen since Dec. 2020. Black and Latino children experienced an even higher rate of poverty.

Children draw on top of a canceled check prop during a rally in favor of the child tax credit in front of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

Families are in distress after the first month without the expanded child tax credit

10:45am January 21, 2022

by Deepa Shivaram

January is the first month since July 2021 that more than 36 million families in the U.S. did not receive money from the expanded child tax credit program. For some, the consequences are already dire.

The continuation of the child tax credit payments had depended on Congress passing the Build Back Better legislation before Friday.

Politics & Government

The expanded child tax credit expires Friday after Congress failed to renew it

5:04pm December 30, 2021

by Deepa Shivaram

Because the Build Back Better agenda was not passed by the Senate before the end of the year, the last payment of the expanded child tax credit program went out this month.

Despite Sen. Joe Manchin's opposition Senate Majority Leader Schumer says he still intends to bring up the $2 trillion social and climate policy bill for a vote

Politics & Government

Democrats plan to vote on the social spending bill, despite Manchin's 'no'

5:12pm December 20, 2021

by Brian Naylor

Senate Majority Leader Schumer said the Senate will take up the measure "very early" in the new year

The Build Back Better legislation included billions to accelerate clean energy like rooftop solar, but with the bill now stalled in Congress, cutting U.S. emissions will be tougher.

What losing Build Back Better means for climate change

10:32am December 20, 2021

by Lauren Sommer

Climate scientists warn that emissions need to fall quickly. Those cuts will be even tougher with the Build Back Better legislation shelved for the foreseeable future.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had said he hoped the Senate would vote on President Biden's spending bill before Christmas, but that plan has stalled.

Politics & Government

Democrats are forced to regroup as Biden's signature spending bill stalls

10:08pm December 16, 2021

For weeks, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had promised a vote on Biden's social and climate agenda before Christmas. But all 50 senators in caucus have not been able to unify behind the plan.

President Biden on Friday signed legislation to avoid a partial government shutdown, but Congress still has a long to-do list before the end of the year.

Politics & Government

Congress avoids a government shutdown — but a long to-do list looms

5:03pm December 03, 2021

by Kelsey Snell

Lawmakers are juggling must-pass items, like addressing the nation's borrowing authority and an annual defense authorization package, along with major political priorities for Democrats.

Build Back Better has a $150B affordable housing ask from NC Rep. Price

6:00am November 29, 2021

by Eddie Garcia

The Build Back Better Bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is now in the hands of the Senate.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex pictured onstage during Global Citizen Live, New York on September 25, 2021 in New York. The mother-of-two advocated for paid family leave in a letter to top congressional Democrats.

Politics & Government

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wrote a letter to Congress calling for paid family leave

5:13pm October 21, 2021

by Rachel Treisman

As Democrats keep working towards a scaled-back spending bill, the Duchess of Sussex urged them not to "compromise or negotiate" over a national paid family leave program.