Build Back Better
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| Build Back Better | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Build Back Better |
| Type | Policy agenda |
| Introduced | 2020s |
| Proponents | Joe Biden, Democratic Party, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer |
| Status | Mixed; partial enactments and proposals |
Build Back Better is a policy agenda associated with the Joe Biden administration and allied legislators that sought comprehensive investments in infrastructure, social programs, and climate resilience. The proposal drew on precedents in New Deal, Great Society, and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act–era policymaking, while aligning with contemporary priorities in Paris Agreement climate goals and Sustainable Development Goals. Supporters included figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, and institutional backers like Brookings Institution and Center for American Progress; opponents included Republicans, Mitch McConnell, and fiscal conservative groups like Club for Growth.
Background and Origins
The agenda originated during the 2020 presidential campaign of Joe Biden and the 116th and 117th Congress, influenced by earlier federal responses such as the CARES Act, the American Rescue Plan, and recovery efforts following disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. Architects cited policy research from Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, and Economic Policy Institute and drew rhetorical and programmatic lineage from Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Barack Obama initiatives. Advocacy coalitions included Center for American Progress Action Fund, labor unions such as the AFL–CIO, and environmental groups like Sierra Club and Greenpeace.
Policy Proposals and Components
Proposals encompassed investments in physical infrastructure linked to Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, expansions of the social safety net resembling Affordable Care Act expansions and Medicaid policies, climate and clean energy programs analogous to Green New Deal elements, and family supports similar to proposals in Family and Medical Leave Act debates and Child Tax Credit expansions. Components included funding for transportation projects like rail upgrades tied to Amtrak and Federal Highway Administration programs, renewable energy incentives paralleling Investment Tax Credit and production tax credit mechanisms, affordable housing initiatives related to Department of Housing and Urban Development, and education and childcare supports echoing Head Start and Pell Grant frameworks.
Legislative History and Political Debate
The agenda faced negotiation in the 117th Congress, with legislative vehicles shaped by leaders such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and committee chairs including Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden. Filibuster rules in the Senate and budget reconciliation procedures under the Budget Control Act and Congressional Budget Office scoring played decisive roles; key moments involved negotiations with Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, and parliamentary maneuvers by Senate Parliamentarian. The resulting political debate featured testimony before committees like Senate Committee on the Budget and public endorsements from figures such as Barack Obama and Bill Gates alongside opposition from Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute.
Economic and Social Impacts
Analyses by institutions including the International Monetary Fund, Federal Reserve System, Congressional Budget Office, Tax Policy Center, and Moody's Analytics predicted varied macroeconomic and distributional effects, estimating impacts on GDP growth, employment in sectors tied to United States Department of Energy programs, and emissions consistent with models used by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Social impacts discussed included alterations to poverty metrics measured by U.S. Census Bureau and program participation statistics common to Social Security Administration and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reporting, while labor-market effects referenced projections from Bureau of Labor Statistics and unionized sectors represented by Service Employees International Union.
Implementation and Federal Programs
Portions enacted through related laws delegated implementation to agencies such as the U.S. Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, and Department of Housing and Urban Development. Specific programs or funding streams resembled grants administered under Federal Transit Administration competitive programs, weatherization and grid investments coordinated with Bonneville Power Administration and Department of Energy offices, and childcare grants akin to Child Care and Development Fund mechanisms. Implementation involved federal-state collaboration consistent with precedents like Medicaid expansion and grant frameworks administered by Office of Management and Budget guidance.
Criticism and Opposition
Critics ranged from fiscal conservatives in Republicans and libertarian think tanks like Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute to moderates in the Democratic Party such as Joe Manchin; critiques targeted projected deficits referenced in Congressional Budget Office reports, potential inflationary pressures noted by Federal Reserve System policymakers, and regulatory impacts highlighted by U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Critics also raised concerns about federal-state preemption similar to debates in No Child Left Behind and Affordable Care Act controversies, and legal challenges could invoke precedents from cases like National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius.
International and State/Local Adoption
Elements of the agenda inspired or paralleled measures at subnational levels in states like California, New York, and Massachusetts, and informed international recovery dialogues under forums such as the G7 and UNFCCC negotiations. Municipal programs in cities including New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle reflected components through public-private partnerships reminiscent of Public-private partnership models and regional planning authorities like Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.