Congressman: Democrats' forthcoming budget reconciliation bill 'big f'n deal'

Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern, chairman of the House Rules Committee, described the Democrats' forthcoming budget reconciliation bill as a "big f---ing deal."

Democratic leaders in Congress are currently negotiating with moderate Democrats such as Sens. Joe Manchin, of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema, of Arizona. The contents of the spending package and how to pay for it are among the biggest impasses.

"I think we're making some progress, and I think we'll get to a framework hopefully really soon," McGovern said Tuesday on Capitol Hill regarding President Biden's multi-trillion-dollar social services and climate control spending bill.

Just the News asked the Massachusetts lawmaker for his reaction to tuition-free community college being removed from the reconciliation proposal as a way to lower its price tag. 

"I am not terribly thrilled with that but look, I can sit here and tell you all of the things I would like in it but the reality is all of the stuff we're going to get in it is stuff that we don't have right now and so it's an enormous investment," McGovern said.

"This is going to be transformational when it is all said and done so I am going to keep fighting until the end to get as much in it as possible but I think the finished product will be something meaningful," he added.

Democrats have been debating the size of the package after Manchin and Sinema said they wanted to spend less than $3.5 trillion, the size of the original framework. McGovern said the size of the final package is "less important than the programs and initiatives" that are inside. 

The Democrats can pass the spending bill in the 50-50 Senate without GOP votes using the reconciliation process, assuming every Democratic senator supports the final version. The Democratic-led House has yet to vote on the $1 trillion physical infrastructure bill that has passed the Senate. 

"This is the biggest deal in my entire political career that we are going to vote on," McGovern said. "Now, would I like it bigger? Of course I would but you've got to deal with the reality in which we live in but even with the negotiations back and forth, this is a big, big transformation deal and people cannot lose sight of that and so yeah, we'll come back and fight for more."

McGovern added, "This is a big, big f--- deal."

The legislation is expected to include a corporate tax increase, capital gains tax increase and new IRS reporting requirements for banks. New programs in the legislation are also expected, such as hearing, dental and vision coverage for Medicare as well as universal pre-K and financial support for child care for families that meet certain requirements. 

McGovern's comment describing the reconciliation package was a reference to President Biden's infamous "big f'n deal" statement when the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, was signed in 2010.