After months of bargaining and rifts between elected centrist Democrats, on the one hand, and progressives, on the other, the House of Representatives yesterday adopted the great social law promised by Joe Biden.
Estimated at $ 1,750 billion by the Democrats, but at $ 4,600 billion by the Republicans, it creates new public assistance programs for families, increases taxes for the richest and sets the minimum level of corporate taxation at 15%. , in accordance with the commitments made by the United States with its OECD partners.
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The text now needs to be considered in the Senate, where it risks being amended, as President Biden's party has only half of the 100 seats in the Upper House.
Republicans are unanimous in their opposition to the bill that expands intervention by the federal government in the most daring way ever proposed since the 1960s.
To limit the apparent cost of these programs, the law limits certain benefits to only one year.
This is the case, for example, for aid to families with children
The list of new benefits dear to Democrats is long.
It includes free nurseries for children from 3 to 4 years old, aid for the payment of childcare costs over 4 years old, discounts for the installation of solar panels and tax credits for childcare. purchase of electric vehicles, provided they have been assembled by unionized American workers, or a price regulation of drugs covered by the public health insurance program.
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To limit the apparent cost of these programs, the law limits certain benefits to only one year.
This is the case, for example, for aid to families with children.
Democrats believe Republicans will not dare to let these endowments expire in a year.
The Penn Wharton University model estimate, which Republicans are choosing as a benchmark, brings the cost of the law to $ 4.6 trillion by extending the temporary provisions for nine more years.
The great social law comes on top of the $ 1 trillion law, just passed by a bipartisan majority, aimed at modernizing America's infrastructure.
