WASHINGTON, D.C. (WGAN) Maine Democratic Congressman Jared Golden was the only member of his party to vote against the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better package, which passed in the House on Friday morning.
The sweeping bill includes funding for universal pre-K, a year-long extension of the Child Tax Credit, Medicare expansion, affordable housing and other programs, but is likely to face revisions once it makes its way to the Senate, where its future remains unclear.
The bill cleared the House in a 220-213 vote, with Golden, who represents Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, siding against it. He said he supports many of the programs in the bill but would work to improve it, criticizing a provision to raise the cap on state and local tax deductions which would largely benefit high-income households.
The current House version of SALT gives millionaires thousands in cash, while people who make less than ~$100,000/year get less than $20 on avg.
This policy costs $286 billion.
Why would we do that? I support @SenSanders’ efforts to mitigate these giveaways.
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— Congressman Jared Golden (@RepGolden) November 19, 2021
Chellie Pingree, a Democrat who represents Maine’s 1st Congressional District, voted in favor of the bill.
“From skyrocketing prescription drug costs to affordable housing, the Build Back Better Act takes aim at the serious challenges facing our nation that have been ignored for too long,” she said in a statement on Friday.
