Biden to announce new framework on spending deal

by Brett Samuels and Scott Wong - 10/28/21 7:01 AM ET

President Biden on Thursday will meet with House Democrats to outline the specifics of his economic agenda and push for its passage along with a bipartisan infrastructure deal after months of negotiations.

Biden plans to announce a new framework that is expected to win approval from all Democrats on the Hill, according to a White House source, though it remains to be seen if progressives will get on board with a pared-down version of the proposal.

The president will return to the White House after the meeting at the Capitol and deliver remarks on his agenda and its path forward, a separate White House official said. Biden will leave for a multiday trip to Europe later Thursday.

The specifics of Biden’s agenda were not immediately clear, making it difficult to know what will make it into his final proposal for an ambitious spending package that would cover funding for climate programs, education, child care and more.

Democrats have spent months haggling over details, including how to pay for the package.

A planned vote in September on a bipartisan infrastructure bill that has already passed the Senate was scrapped as progressives vowed to withhold their votes without a framework on the broader reconciliation package, and Democrats appeared at risk of blowing past a self-imposed Sunday deadline for getting both measures passed.

Senators have said a deal is close, but issues including expanding Medicare benefits, empowering the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices, a plan to tax billionaires and the details of a plan to tax methane emissions were holding up an agreement.

Updated at 7:33 a.m.

Tags budget reconciliation package Democratic spending plan Joe Biden