Sunday shows preview: House sends climate, tax and health package to Biden
The Sunday talk show circuit this week will revolve around the Democratic climate, tax and health package sent from the House to President Biden’s desk.
The $740 billion package was passed by House Democrats on Friday after it narrowly passed in a party-line vote in the Senate, where Vice President Harris voted to break the tie.
To avoid a Republican filibuster, Senate Democrats used budget reconciliation to approve the package with a simple majority.
The Inflation Reduction Act was also approved by the House along party lines, though four Republicans declined to vote.
Biden thanked Congress on Friday for supporting the act, adding, “I look forward to signing it into law.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will likely expound on Biden’s support of the controversial climate, tax and health package when she appears on ABC’s “This Week” alongside Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R).
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm may also weigh in on the legislation and its impact on climate when she appears on CNN’s “State of the Union,” where she will be joined by Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) and Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio).
The package contains $369 billion dedicated to energy security and climate investments in addition to $64 billion for Affordable Care Act subsidies, with a main goal of decreased drug costs.
The legislation will provide incentives for cleaner energy, including alternatives that use lower carbon or are carbon-free, for businesses and consumers.
New programs to build more climate protection will also be commissioned using money from the Inflation Reduction Act.
A further $300 billion would be used to reduce the budget deficit in an effort to decrease inflation.
The package was first introduced as a compromise between Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) after Manchin refused to vote for the Democrats’ $2 trillion Build Back Better Act, in effect eliminating the possibility of the legislation being passed.
Democrats spent more than a year discussing the Build Back Better Act and similar legislative possibilities before plans were squashed due to Manchin’s opposition.
The Build Back Better Act would have implemented more expansive economic and climate changes while spending significantly more taxpayer money.
The Inflation Reduction Act, on the other hand, will increase taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals to work toward addressing climate change and lowering prescription drug prices.
Medicare will use money from the bill to negotiate lower prices for 10 high-cost drugs beginning in 2026 and 20 drugs beginning in 2029. The package will also allow caps to be placed on drug costs.
Schumer and Manchin also claim that the package will reduce emissions by about 40 percent by 2030.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where they will likely debate the merits and downfalls of the act.
Their colleague Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) will appear on "Fox News Sunday" alongside retired Gen. Jack Keane.
ABC’s “This Week” — Jean-Pierre, Hogan
NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Klobuchar, Rounds
CBS’s “Face the Nation” — Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
CNN’s “State of the Union” — Granholm, Hutchinson, Turner
“Fox News Sunday” — Romney, Keane
Fox News “Sunday Morning Futures” — Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), former chief of staff to the acting United States secretary of Defense Kash Patel, former Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), former Attorney General Michael Mukasey
Fox News "MediaBuzz" — The Federalist publisher Ben Domenech, Democratic Strategist Laura Fink, George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, former Pete Buttigieg communications chief Lis Smith, “The Guy Benson Show” host Guy Benson, Fox News White House correspondent Kevin Corke