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Hyde-Smith: ‘Build Back Broke bill is what I call it’

By Caroline Wood

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) - Mississippi leaders are speaking out about the Biden Administration’s ‘Build Back Better’ bill.

The House passed the ‘Build Back Better’ bill Friday. Now, it heads to the Senate.

But, one of Mississippi’s congressional leaders doesn’t call it that.

“...This ‘Build Back Broke’ bill is what I call it...,” said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R, Mississippi.

The Biden Administration’s $1.9 trillion bill is a so-called social spending and environmental bill. Democratic lawmakers like Miss. Congressman Bennie Thompson voted in favor of the bill. They say it’s meant to create good-paying jobs, cut taxes for the middle class, lower health care costs and more.

But, the measure faces an uphill battle in the Senate, which is narrowly controlled by democrats.

“We’re going to have to kill it in the Senate,” Hyde-Smith said. “I hope that it never makes it to the desk of President Biden. And any version that they think that they can water down so it could get passed... there’s not enough water in the Gulf of Mexico to make this a good bill. I mean it’s just not. And I am truly hoping that we can kill it and I assure you it would never pass on my vote.”

One of Hyde-Smith’s biggest concerns is inflation ahead of the holiday season.

“So many Americans are trying to decide if they can go see their family at Thanksgiving with gas over $3 dollars a gallon here in Mississippi,” Hyde-Smith said.

But the legislation allots $320 billion in tax incentives for entities that buy wind, solar and nuclear power in an effort to transition from oil, gas and coal.

In the meantime, President Joe Biden announced today the Department of Energy will release 50 million barrels from the Emergency Oil Reserves.

“It will take time but before long you should see the price of gas drop where you fill up your tank,” Biden said. “And in the longer term, we will reduce our reliance on oil as we shift to clean energy. But right now, I will do what needs to be done to reduce the price you pay at the pump.”

The Senate reconvenes Monday.