Political pundits predicted a vote on Biden’s $1.75 Trillion Build Back Better Bill would take place on Thursday night since the CBO scores were released on Wednesday of this week. However, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives ensured that the vote would be pushed to a later date.
On Thursday evening, Rep. McCarthy (R-CA) held the floor of the House for over eight hours as he lambasted the possible effects of the Build Back Better Bill. In fact, his speech did not concluded until the wee hours of Friday morning.
During his record breaking eight hours thirty-three minutes at the podium, McCarthy discussed multiple things. While he mentioned many problems the country faces, including migration at the southern border as well as inflation, McCarthy also mentioned the time he won $5,000 playing the lotto as a young man.
The Associated Press reported that most of the House Democrats left the chamber while McCarthy was still speaking.
McCarthy’s speech was actually a strong argument against enacting the Build Back Better bill. McCarthy described the bill as “the single most reckless and irresponsible spending bill in our nation’s history.” McCarthy spoke of every major line item of the bill, detailing how each would only add to the rapidly-growing inflation America is currently experiencing.
McCarthy’s speech may have seemed a rambling drone to some, but it served to ensure that the bill would not be voted upon on Thursday as was expected. McCarthy stopped and started on several occasions; murmurs from both Democrats and Republicans could be heard in the interim.
Perhaps the most poignant part of the McCarthy speech was his comment that Democratic lawmakers are “out of touch” with the needs and desires of the average, ordinary American. The legislation is opposed by all Republicans; however, the Democrats carry the House.
The Congressional Budget Office released a partial report on the Build Back Better bill; they stated that it WOULD add to the country’s deficit. It should be noted that, ahead of the CBO’s report, the White House had already made comments that the CBO wasn’t always accurate in their grading of legislation.
However, earlier in his political career, Joe Biden called the Congressional Budget Office “the gold standard.”
McCarthy’s speech also noted this increased deficit at a time when Americans are struggling not only to find staples such as canned goods and laundry detergent in stores but paying more for those items when they can be found. This holiday season is predicted to be one of the most expensive ever.
McCarthy reflected on how the legislation will affect the average American. “Never in American history has so much been spent at one time. Never in American history will so many taxes be raised and so much borrowing be needed to pay for all this reckless spending.”
Although McCarthy prevented a vote on Thursday night, the House convened on Friday morning and passed the measure. The bill now goes to the Senate.
