Those who keep an eye on Congress know that the institution is slow, bitterly divided, and seemingly incapable of advancing compromise measures. But once in a great while, lawmakers manage to defy expectations, move with surprising speed, and approve a bipartisan agreement. NBC News reported overnight:
The House voted Wednesday night to pass a $78 billion tax package that includes an expansion of the child tax credit, sending it to the Senate, where its path is uncertain. The Republican-led House passed the bipartisan measure 357-70, using a fast-track process that requires a two-thirds majority. The legislation received broad support from each party: 169 Republicans and 188 Democrats voted for it, while 47 Republicans and 23 Democrats voted against it.
It was just two weeks ago when Missouri Rep. Jason Smith, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, announced a breakthrough on tax policy. The former had secured an extension of Trump-era tax breaks for businesses, while the latter secured an expansion of the child tax credit.
In a written statement, Wyden explained, “Fifteen million kids from low-income families will be better off as a result of this plan, and given today’s miserable political climate, it’s a big deal to have this opportunity to pass pro-family policy that helps so many kids get ahead.”
As we’ve discussed, this isn’t as ambitious or as generous as the original Democratic policy from 2021, but this is a plan that would help millions of families.
The legislation faced some obstacles, including criticisms from the left and right, but it nevertheless cleared the lower chamber with 357 votes. It now heads to the Senate, where it will need at least 60 votes to advance.
Given the margin in the House, and the scope of the bipartisan support, that might not seem like much of a challenge, but one GOP senator summarized a core problem. NBC News…
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