华盛顿——总统，他标志性的国内倡议岌岌可危乔·拜登敦促民主党人在周四前往海外参加全球峰会之前结束会谈，并使社会服务和气候变化法案“越过终点线”。
民主党高层领导人发出信号，称达成协议指日可待，尽管周三晚些时候，亿万富翁税和带薪探亲假计划从民主党的全面法案中退出，主要是为了满足参议院一名50比50的关键参议员的要求，但势头减弱，人们的脾气暴躁。
但是扩大了卫生保健在目前至少1.75万亿美元的一揽子计划中，应对气候变化的项目、免费学前教育和大约5000亿美元仍在其中。
据一位不愿透露姓名的人士透露，民主党人正考虑对富人征收新的附加费——对收入超过1000万美元的人征收5%，对收入超过2500万美元的人征收3%——以帮助支付这笔费用。
“它们都在我们的能力范围之内。让我们把这些账单带到终点线。”拜登周三晚间在推特上写道。
一位不愿透露姓名的知情人士告诉美联社，为了帮助推动议员们实现这一目标，拜登将于周四上午向众议院民主党核心小组发表讲话。除了敦促重要的政党优先事项，总统还希望向外国领导人表明，美国正在他的政府领导下完成事情。
白宫新闻秘书珍·普萨基说，政府正在“一小时一小时”评估局势。
这是国会山快速变化的一天，众议院议长南希·佩洛西宣布民主党“状况相当好”，这让国会开始乐观起来但随着拜登的大提议遭遇新的顽固挫折，希望迅速破灭，其中最主要的是如何为此买单。
据一名要求匿名讨论私人会谈的党内高级助手称，在西弗吉尼亚州民主党参议员乔·曼钦反对后，刚刚提出的亿万富翁税可能会被取消。
亿万富翁的税收提案旨在赢得另一位民主党抵制者，亚利桑那州参议员基尔斯顿·西内马的支持，但曼钦认为该提案不公平地针对富人，让民主党陷入困境。
曼钦告诉记者:“同温层的人，而不是试图惩罚，我们应该为这个国家能够创造财富感到高兴。
曼钦说，他更喜欢最低15%的统一“爱国税”，以确保最富有的美国人不会逃避缴纳任何税赋税。尽管如此，他说:“我们需要向前迈进。”
接下来是一个提议的带薪探亲假计划，该计划已经从12周缩短到4周，以满足曼钦的需求。但这位知情人士表示，由于他的反对，该法案不太可能被纳入其中。
纽约州参议员柯尔斯顿·吉利布兰德(Kirsten Gillibrand)为曼钦的审查设计了几个新的选项，并在晚上晚些时候告诉记者，“直到结束才结束。”
曼钦和西内马的反对合在一起，形成了一锤定音的效果，让拜登的整体计划变得不稳定，将3.5万亿美元的一揽子计划减半，并激怒了一路上的同事。
在平分秋色的参议院，拜登需要所有民主党人的支持，没有多余的选票。
白宫官员在国会大厦会见了曼钦和西内马，这两位参议员现在掌握着巨大的权力，基本上决定了拜登是否能够兑现民主党的主要竞选承诺。
“正在进步，”辛尼玛冲进电梯时说。
周日，批准一项规模较小的两党道路和桥梁基础设施法案的最后期限即将到来，否则常规交通项目的资金可能会到期。但这一1万亿美元的法案被进步的立法者搁置，他们拒绝在没有更大的拜登协议的情况下给予支持。
尽管有一系列最后期限，民主党人一直无法在他们之间达成协议，共和党人压倒性地反对该方案。充其量，民主党人可能会在周四达成一个框架，让拜登带着一份协议出国，并在最终细节敲定时开启这一进程。
迫于压力，佩洛西周四宣布召开一次委员会听证会，以推动拜登的一揽子计划在众议院全面投票，尽管时间仍不确定。
此前，民主党人曾希望周三公布的亿万富翁税有助于解决收入方面的问题，此前西内马拒绝了该党早些时候提出的扭转特朗普时代对企业和富人(收入超过40万美元的人)减税的想法。
新的亿万富翁提案将对那些资产超过10亿美元或收入连续三年超过1亿美元的人(不到800人)的收益征税，要求他们对股票和其他可交易资产的收益纳税，而不是等到持有的资产被出售。
亿万富翁的税率将与资本利得税率保持一致，目前为23.8%。民主党人表示，这可能会筹集2000亿美元的收入，有助于在10年内为拜登的一揽子计划提供资金。
共和党人嘲笑亿万富翁的税收是“轻率的”，一些人认为这将面临法律挑战。
但参议院财政委员会主席、俄勒冈州民主党参议员罗恩·怀登坚持认为，亿万富翁税仍在讨论之中。
“我没有听到一个美国参议员——一个也没有——站起来说，‘哎呀，我认为亿万富翁连续几年很少或什么都不付是很有趣的，’”怀登说。
其中更有可能的是配套提案，即新的15%的企业最低税，以及针对1000万美元以上高收入人群的新附加税。
它们一起旨在实现拜登的愿望，即富人和大企业支付他们的“公平份额”它们也符合他的承诺，即年收入低于40万美元或夫妇年收入低于45万美元的人不会受到新的税收打击。拜登希望他的方案得到全额支付，而不是增加债务。
解决收入方面的问题至关重要，因为议员们正在计算将有多少资金用于拜登大计划中的新医疗、儿童保健和气候变化项目。
在民主党人中，马萨诸塞州众议员理查德·尼尔(Richard Neal)是筹款委员会主席，他说，他告诉怀登，亿万富翁税可能很难实施。尽管西内马反对，但他预计民主党人会坚持他的小组采取的方法，即简单地提高企业和富人的税率，取消2017年的减税计划。
尼尔说:“人们对亿万富翁的税收有很多焦虑。
根据尼尔小组批准的众议院法案，年收入超过40万美元的人的最高个人所得税税率将从37%升至39.6%，这对夫妇的最高个人所得税税率为45万美元。公司税率将从21%提高到26.5%。
众议院法案还提议对调整后年收入超过500万美元的最富有美国人征收3%的附加税，尼尔建议可以提高到1000万美元，以争取抵制者。
两位参议员的反对正在迫使政策优先事项艰难地减少，如果不是完全取消的话——从儿童护理援助到老年人的牙科、视力和助听器福利。
一度庞大的气候变化战略对污染者的惩罚力度有所降低，正如煤炭国家曼钦所反对的那样，而是专注于奖励清洁能源激励措施。
佛蒙特州独立报的参议员伯尼·桑德斯说:“50人中有48人支持一项为美国人民服务的议程。”
Biden urges bill over 'finish line' as Dems eye new surtax
WASHINGTON -- With his signature domestic initiative at stake, PresidentJoe Bidenis urging Democrats to wrap up talks and bring the social services and climate change bill “over the finish line” before he departs Thursday for global summits overseas.
Top Democratic leaders are signaling a deal is within reach even though momentum fizzled and tempers flared late Wednesday after a billionaires' tax and a paid family leave program fell out of the Democrats' sweeping bill, mostly to satisfy a pivotal senator in the 50-50 Senate.
But expandedhealth careprograms, free pre-kindergarten and some $500 billion to tackle climate change remain in the mix in what's now at least a $1.75 trillion package.
And Democrats are eyeing a new surcharge on the wealthy — 5% on incomes above $10 million and an additional 3% on those beyond $25 million — to help pay for it, according to a person who requested anonymity to discuss the private talks.
“They’re all within our reach. Let’s bring these bills over the finish line.” Biden tweeted late Wednesday.
To help push lawmakers toward that goal, Biden will speak Thursday morning to the House Democratic Caucus, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Besides pressing for important party priorities, the president was hoping to show foreign leaders the U.S. was getting things done under his administration.
The administration was assessing the situation “hour by hour,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
It was a fast-moving day on Capitol Hill that started upbeat as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that Democrats were in “pretty good shape.” But hopes quickly faded as Biden's big proposal ran into stubborn new setbacks, chief among them how to pay for it all.
A just-proposed tax on billionaires could be scrapped after Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia objected, according to a senior party aide, who requested anonymity to discuss the private talks.
The billionaires' tax proposal had been designed to win over another Democratic holdout, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, but Manchin panned it as unfairly targeting the wealthy, leaving Democrats at odds.
“People in the stratosphere, rather than trying to penalize, we ought to be pleased that this country is able to produce the wealth,” Manchin told reporters.
Manchin said he prefers a minimum 15% flat “patriotic tax” to ensure the wealthiest Americans don’t skip out on paying anytaxes. Nevertheless, he said: “We need to move forward."
Next to fall was a proposed paid family leave program that was already being chiseled back from 12 to four weeks to satisfy Manchin. But with his objections, it was unlikely to be included in the bill, the person said.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., had devised several new options for Manchin's review and told reporters late in the evening, “It’s not over until it’s over.”
Together, Manchin's and Sinema’s objections packed a one-two punch, throwing Biden’s overall plan into flux, halving what had been a $3.5 trillion package, and infuriating colleagues along the way.
In the evenly divided Senate, Biden needs all Democrats’ support with no votes to spare.
White House officials met at the Capitol with Manchin and Sinema, two senators who now hold enormous power, essentially deciding whether or not Biden will be able to deliver on the Democrats' major campaign promises.
“Making progress,” Sinema said as she dashed into an elevator.
A Sunday deadline loomed for approving a smaller, bipartisan roads-and-bridges infrastructure bill or risk allowing funds for routine transportation programs to expire. But that $1 trillion bill has been held up by progressive lawmakers who are refusing to give their support without the bigger Biden deal.
Despite a series of deadlines, Democrats have been unable to close the deal among themselves, and Republicans overwhelmingly oppose the package. At best, Democrats could potentially reach a framework Thursday that could send Biden overseas with a deal in hand and unlock the process while the final details were sewn up.
Applying pressure, Pelosi announced a Thursday committee hearing to spur the Biden package along toward a full House vote, though timing remained uncertain.
Democrats had hoped the unveiling of the billionaires tax Wednesday could help resolve the revenue side of the equation after Sinema rejected the party’s earlier idea of reversing Trump-era tax breaks on corporations and the wealthy, those earning more than $400,000.
The new billionaires' proposal would tax the gains of those with more than $1 billion in assets or incomes of more than $100 million over three consecutive years — fewer than 800 people — requiring them pay taxes on the gains of stocks and other tradeable assets, rather than waiting until holdings are sold.
The billionaires’ tax rate would align with the capital gains rate, now 23.8%. Democrats have said it could raise $200 billion in revenue that could help fund Biden’s package over 10 years.
Republicans have derided the billionaires’ tax as “harebrained,” and some have suggested it would face a legal challenge.
But Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, insisted the billionaires tax remains on the table.
“I've not heard a single United States senator — not one — get up and say, ‘Gee, I think it’s just fun that billionaires pay little or nothing for years on end,’” Wyden said.
More likely in the mix was the companion proposal, a new 15% corporate minimum tax, as well as the new surtax being proposed on higher incomes above $10 million.
Together they are designed to fulfill Biden’s desire for the wealthy and big business to pay their “fair share.” They also fit his promise that no new taxes hit those earning less than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples. Biden wants his package fully paid for without piling on debt.
Resolving the revenue side has been crucial, as lawmakers figure out how much money will be available to spend on the new health, child care and climate change programs in Biden's big plan.
Among Democrats, Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said he told Wyden the billionaires' tax may be difficult to implement. Despite Sinema's opposition, he expects Democrats to stick with the approach his panel took in simply raising rates on corporations and the wealthy, undoing the 2017 tax cuts.
“There’s a lot of there’s a lot of angst in there over the billionaires' tax,” Neal said.
Under the House bill approved by Neal’s panel, the top individual income tax rate would rise from 37% to 39.6%, on those earning more than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples. The corporate rate would increase from 21% to 26.5%.
The House bill also proposes a 3% surtax on the wealthiest Americans with adjusted income beyond $5 million a year, and Neal suggested that could be raised to $10 million to win over the holdouts.
Opposition from the two senators is forcing difficult reductions, if not the outright elimination, of policy priorities — from child care assistance to dental, vision and hearing aid benefits for seniors.
The once hefty climate change strategies are less punitive on polluters, as coal-state Manchin objected, focusing instead on rewarding clean energy incentives.
Said Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent: “You got 48 out of 50 people supporting an agenda that works for the American people.”
