President Biden said he felt confident that he will have enough votes to pass the second part of his economic agenda, the package that would expand the social safety net.
Speaking to reporters Saturday from the State Dining Room, Biden would not say what assurances he’s received from moderate democrats in the House and Senate, declining to say who has committed to voting for the $1.9 trillion package when and if it comes up for a vote.
“I'm not going to get into who and what made what commitments to me. I don't negotiate in public. But I feel confident, I feel confident that we will have enough votes to pass the Build Back Better plan," Biden said.
Biden, during his victory lap celebrating the passage of his $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, took a swing at reporters who doubted his ability to get his agenda done when asked whether the spending bill is “doomed” because he cannot count on the same Republican votes he received for the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
“I don't start off with any assumption that I can't get anybody to vote for anything. I mean that sincerely,” Biden said. “I think what's going to happen is we're going to see what happens in the Senate and whether or not I need only Democratic votes, which is likely, it’s the likely outcome. And the question is can I get all of those votes? This is a process,” Biden said. “All along you've told me I can't do any of it anyway. From the very beginning.”
When asked later when he thought the bill would be passed, a jubilant Biden joked, “I don't want to make your job easier. I don't want to, I know the answer exactly when it's going to be passed.”
Earlier, Biden reiterated that he expects the second part of his economic agenda, the Build Back Better social safety net package, to pass both chambers of Congress the week of Nov. 15, after the House moved forward on a procedural rule on that portion of his agenda.