Biden Shares Hope for His Build Back Better Act

By Daniel Shapiro’23
The Build Back Better Act was introduced as a 10 year spending plan that would allocate 3.5 trillion dollars to provide universal pre-K for children ages 3 and 4, child care for working families, address housing affordability and address the growing threat of the climate crisis.

To get the bill passed, the Democrats would need to have it passed in the House and then in the Senate. Taking into account the razor-thin majority they hold in the Senate and the Democrats’ several ideological factions, in particular the more conservative Democrats, such as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Kyrstin Sinema (D-AZ), and the more progressive Democrats, such as Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-CA), Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), this would be no easy endeavor.
On October 28th 2021, after weeks of negotiations, the bill was rereleased with alterations. The size of the bill had been cut down to only 1.75 trillion dollars in spending over the next decade, with provisions on paid family leave and expansions to healthcare being cut as well. 
The White House wrote in a statement posted on their website: “After hearing input from all sides and negotiating in good faith with Senators Manchin and Sinema, Congressional Leadership, and a broad swath of Members of Congress, President Biden is announcing a framework for the Build Back Better Act. President Biden is confident this is a framework that can pass both houses of Congress, and he looks forward to signing it into law. He calls on Congress to take up this historic bill – in addition to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – as quickly as possible,”
However, the bill still includes $555 billion in spending for mitigating the climate crisis, fortifying vulnerable communities and investing in clean energy.
Freshman Shayne Cytranbaum, co-president of the GOA Climate Activism Club, said, “the $555 billion in climate spending is a great start, and it can definitely do a great job at starting the transition from fossil fuels, the greening of our economy, and the defense of vulnerable communities from the climate crisis… However, in order to really make meaningful change in the fight against the climate crisis and all the natural disasters, food shortages, refugee crises, overpopulation, inequality, and social strain to follow, we need way more than just this.” 
Many feel that the spending is good, but that the lawmakers must push for more. The world needs strong action now, and activists say it is imperative that representatives push for such action today. 
“We have enough money in use by the federal government.  Perhaps money needs to be redistributed so that a higher amount of it goes to helping environmental issues, while at the same time not increasing the government’s budget,” said freshman Austin Colm.  “The UN should intervene more and try to promote a more international fund.”
Cytrynbaum said, “While $555 billion in climate spending is great, it's only a first step, when really by now we should be at our twentieth or thirtieth step in decarbonizing our society.”