Bernie Sanders criticizes Inflation Reduction Act, says it will have ‘minimal impact’
During a rare overnight Senate session, Sanders also offered amendment after amendment to push it further on health care, prescription drugs and fossil fuels.
The independent Vermont senator noted that the bill does not discuss income inequality, childhood poverty, or the health care system.
Inflation Reduction Act voting:Senate Democrats push sweeping climate, health care bill as Republicans try to slow passage
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema backs Inflation Reduction Act, giving Biden the votes for Senate passage
In the Senate’s overnight vote-a-rama, his offered amendments failed because the Democrats are uniting to pass the bill.
His amendments include:
- Speeding up Medicare’s ability to negotiate less pharmaceutical costs and expanded the list of drugs on which they could impose price caps. It failed 99-1.
- The Sanders amendment to provide coverage for dental and oral health care, hearing care, and vision care under the Medicare program (5211, as modified) was turned down by a roll call vote of 97-3
- An extension to the special rules for the child tax credit that applied for 2021 and to increase the corporate tax rate (5208, as modified) which was rejected by a roll call vote of 97-1
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., the last Democratic holdout on the bill, agreed Thursday to support the bill. She negotiated the removal of a provision to increase taxes on carried interests aimed at wealthy investors, resolving a key difference that withheld her support.
Senate moves forward:Senate Democrats push sweeping climate, health care bill as Republicans try to slow passage
Contributing: Ledyard King, Dylan Wells