The controversy over the hefty package, centering mostly around the $3.5 trillion budget bill, is gradually reaching its peak as a number of crucial votes in Congress are planned for this week.
Some Republicans and political experts have attacked US President Joe Biden and his allies for the Build Back Better Act, expressing particular outrage over the president's recent post on Twitter, in which said that the implementation of the long-term funding legislation would “cost zero dollars,” as it is supposed to replace laws for big businesses with a “once-in-a-generation investment in working America.”
Even some supporters of the reconciliation package have said that the president's statement was misleading.
A number of Democrats also raised concerns earlier about the bill, noting that some parts of the package may be “unaffordable” in terms of the budget.
"I don’t think we can afford everything," Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy said. "Unless something changes, I have no choice but to vote no on every subtitle (in the bill) and on final passage."
At least nine other moderate Democrats have previously expressed opposition to the financial package, threatening to vote against it unless the House of Representatives first approves a 10-year $1.2 Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which was already passed by the Senate earlier in August.
The House of Representatives started debates on the package on Monday, with a vote expected on Thursday. The bill includes funding for roads, power grids, broadband and many other infrastructure projects.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrat leaders have pledged to block the bill in case the broader $3.5 trillion plan does not gain the needed support. Given that Republicans have long opposed the $3.5 trillion plan and none are likely to vote for it, the Senate Democrats will need to be united behind the bill in order to get it approved.
The $3.5 trillion Build Back Better plan includes social safety net funding, such as health care and childcare support along with environmental and other programs over the next decade. This massive measure, largely funded by tax increases on rich Americans and large businesses, forms the backbone of Biden's post-pandemic family and climate change policies.