Progressives urge Senate to pass Build Back Better by March 1

Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) leaders are urging the Democrat-controlled Senate to pass President Biden’s Build Back Better package by March 1, saying the timing would give him a much-needed opportunity to announce a major accomplishment during his State of the Union address.

“In the months since negotiations around the Build Back Better Act stalled, the case for this legislation has only become more urgent,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who chairs the group of liberal lawmakers on Capitol Hill, wrote in the Thursday statement. 

“There is agreement among Senate Democrats on significant parts of this bill: climate action, the care economy, taking on Big Pharma’s price gouging, and lowering health care costs. There is agreement on the need to reduce rising costs facing ordinary Americans — and that is exactly what Build Back Better does,” she wrote. 

The CPC has been a leading force at the negotiating table during months of lapsed deadlines to pass the massive spending package. 

Progressive officeholders have consistently urged two centrist holdouts in the upper chamber, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.), to get on board with the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus and majority of House Democrats to pass the president’s signature first-term proposal to expand the social safety net and protect the environment.  

In recent weeks, they have become more vocal in their desire to see results as further delays and a lack of movement has depressed parts of the party and general public.

Jayapal listed several issues that have escalated recently that are hurting Americans and explained how Biden has a chance to tell voters that he worked with congressional Democrats to fix some of what has been broken.

“Public housing residents have endured devastating fires, the cost of insulin and other prescription drugs continue to crush working people, and parents are desperate for child care support,” she wrote. “This desperately needed relief cannot be delayed any longer.”