Vice President Kamala Harris said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that she and President Joe Biden were not giving up on passing his huge social costs Build Back Better Act despite the fact that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has stated he was a no vote.MARGARET BRENNAN: This is going to be difficult for the economy. Are you going to need to ask Congress for another relief bundle? HARRIS: Well, I’m delighted you talked about the
economy. Let’s discuss the economy. First off, as an administration, as we look at the end of the year, there specify truths that we are proud of on the concern of the economy. We have actually decreased unemployment to 4.2%. The economists predicted that we wouldn’t arrive for another couple of years, however here we are. We have lowered the deficit by over $300 billion. We have actually developed over 6 million jobs, so there are good ideas that happened- have actually happened as it connects to the strength of the economy. Let’s also talk about the most current facts. Excuse me, not Moody’s, but Goldman Sachs showed that the failure to pass BBB, the Build Back Better Act is going to have a negative effect on our fiscal health.
BRENNAN: Mmhm.
HARRIS: But the converse is likewise real. And again, what is within our grasp to pass Build Back Better? Where we bring down the cost of living. When we speak about the economy, the average individual in America is going to measure the economy based on can they in fact just pay for to make it through the day and through the month. The expense of living, can they stay up to date with the cost of living, childcare, elder care, prescription drugs? Which is among the factors our concern. To your point about the economy that has actually been the fuel behind our persistence that we discover common ground in Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act so we can bring down the expense of living for- for real Americans working individuals.
BRENNAN: You’re speaking about the Build Back Better imitate it still has some life to it. As you know, Sen. Joe Manchin stated, he’s a no. You don’t have the votes.
HARRIS: You understand, I remained in the Senate for 4 years before I came here, and I have actually seen the ups and downs in terms of legislation. I indicate, those people who study history, recent or- or ancient know that there are often times over the course of history where legislation was destined be dead and it still kept going. The Affordable Care Act being one of the most recent examples of that, or perhaps the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act now not deal, where great deals of folks said it was dead on arrival, but we got it done. So, I’m not giving up, the president’s not quiting, and honestly, the stakes are expensive. I imply, we’re literally talking about saying that no household should pay more than 7% of their earnings in childcare. We’re stating that people who have diabetes, I have relative. Many people know or have diabetes. The only thing that will keep them alive is insulin, and it is so expensive.
BRENNAN: But it is the expense of the bill that has led Sen. Joe Manchin at least openly to say it’s in fact going to harm the economy. His argument is that it’ll contribute to inflation, amongst many other things.
HARRIS: And- and Goldman Sachs just today stated that really, we know that Build Back Better will enhance the economy. Therefore, I think there lacks any question, room for discussion about what in fact will be the impact to the economy. And goal, leading and extremely respected economists are weighing in on this conversation to say, in reality, no. And you can take a look at the effect on- on- on the economy and see that not just is it ethically right to state moms and dads should not need to have a hard time to take care of their standard needs like taking care of their children and their moms and dads- and their parents and their elder family members. However it really makes economic sense to do that and it lowers the expense of living.
BRENNAN: But when you look at what’s actually possible right now,– HARRIS: Yeah.
BRENNAN:– do you feel that Senator Manchin is playing fair with you? I suggest, he went on tv and said no, pretty definitively.
HARRIS: I think the stakes are expensive for this to be in any method about any particular individual.