The US Senate managed to approve this Sunday the ambitious climate, health and fiscal plan of the Democratswhich contemplates investments of billions of dollars in clean energy in the next ten years, in a vote that required all the progressive votes of the Upper House plus the tiebreaker of its president, the vice president of the country, kamala harris. The vote represents a great victory for President Joe Biden and his party, less than a hundred days before the legislative elections in November.
The Inflation Reduction Lawthe official name of the project, went ahead despite the approval of one of the latest Republican amendments, aimed at capping the collection of a minimum 15 percent tax on companies making more than $1 billionthanks to the support of fractious Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema, raising fears for the deal’s future.
Democratic Unity
Despite the complicated process, the parliamentary group managed to remain united and voted in unison in favor of the plan. The project required the affirmative vote of all Democratic representatives to go ahead, since all Republicans were against it. Currently, the Senate is divided 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, although the Democrats have the tiebreaking vote of the US vice president, who acts as speaker of the chamber.
The Inflation Reduction Law contemplates more than 400 billion dollars in new investmentsalmost all focused on giving a boost to the green energy industry in the country and reducing polluting gas emissions. It would be the largest public investment against climate change in the history of the United States.
The text also provides 64 billion dollars of investment in health and the gradual reduction in the price of certain medicines. But Democrats had to abandon their ambitions for free public daycares and colleges and better care for the elderly.
The project must now pass through the House of Representatives, where the Democrats have a large majoritybefore being definitively approved.
