U.S. House passes Biden's $1.75 spending bill

After months of grueling negotiations, the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday approved President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion social spending bill.

The measure, originally slated for a vote Thursday evening, passed the next morning after Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy took the chamber floor in an effort to obstruct regular order.

"This is the single most reckless and irresponsible spending bill in our nation's history."

He spoke for a record-setting eight-and-a-half hours.

He at times shouted over Democrats who were openly dismissive of his delay tactic.

"It's all right, I got all night."

The new bill provides free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds, boosts coverage of home-care costs for the elderly and disabled, significantly cuts the cost of some prescription drugs such insulin, expands affordable housing programs, increases grants for college students, and puts $550 billion toward tackling climate change.

The bill, along with a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan Biden signed into law this week, comprise the twin pillars of the president's domestic agenda.

"And we're taking a monumental step forward to build back better as a nation."

Dubbed "Build Back Better," the bills come on top of the $1.9 trillion in emergency coronavirus pandemic aid that Biden and his fellow Democrats pushed through Congress in March over a wall of opposition from Republicans.

Friday's vote comes after the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office released an analysis showing the proposed legislation would increase federal budget deficits by $367 billion over 10 years.

The CBO said additional revenues could be generated through improved Internal Revenue Service tax collections.

Some Democrats leery of cost ultimately ended up voting for the measure.

Representative Stephanie Murphy said she had reservations about the size of the legislation but there were "too many badly needed investments in this bill not to advance it in the legislative process."

The spending bill now goes to the Senate, where it only needs a majority to pass.

But two centrist Democrats have threatened to hold it up.

Senators are expected to amend the House bill.

If so, it would have to be sent back to the House for final passage, possibly around the end of December.