It's official — after a much-delayed vote thanks to a quasi-filibuster from Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the House officially passed President Biden's sweeping spending package 220-213, "approving $2 trillion in spending over the next decade to battle climate change, expand health care, and reweave the nation's social safety net," per The New York Times. All Republicans and 1 Democrat voted against the legislation.
"The Build Back Better bill is passed!" House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) exclaimed triumphantly following the Friday morning vote, per CNN's Kaitlan Collins. Democrats reportedly "jumped up and down, clapped, hugged, fist pumped, and did little happy dances" while Pelosi shared the news, even gathering around her to chant, "Nancy! Nancy! Nancy!" as she left the dais.
The measure's passage comes about two weeks after Congress passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which Biden signed into law on Monday.
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The bill will now move to the Senate, where Democratic leaders have the difficult job of uniting a 50-50 chamber, unable to lose even one vote. The process "is almost certain to reshape the measure and force it back to the House — if it passes at all," per the Times.
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