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"We have more to do," Representative Pramila Jayapal said from the lower house of parliament. "But today, let's celebrate that."

Without a single Republican supporter, Democrats in the US House of Representatives on Friday passed a $740 billion bill that includes historic investments in renewable energy development, a minimum tax on large corporations and a history of requiring Medicare to directly negotiate prices for a subset of prescriptions. drugs

Democratic supporters of the bill and outside groups have hailed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as the single most important measure of climate action passed by US lawmakers, even though the package contains significant help for the fossil fuel industry, as well as a series of taxes. Incentives and subsidies. . . Green energy that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Senate passed the party-style reconciliation bill last weekend, and Friday's final vote in the House was 220-207, with support from all Democrats and "no" from all of the bloc. Republican who voted.

"Today, Democrats are delivering on their promises to the American people and advancing key progressive priorities," Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-W.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said after the vote.

"After more than a year of negotiations and a longer campaign on these issues, the Democratic majority in Congress has unanimously submitted a comprehensive bill to address climate action, tax justice, and lower drug costs to the president's office," Jayapal said. “Like their colleagues in the Senate, no Republican in the House of Representatives has voted on this legislation, despite its popularity with most Americans of all political backgrounds.”

President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill early Friday night, capping more than a year of stalled negotiations by Senators Joe Manchin (D-Va) and Kirsten Senema (D-Arizona), who have dramatically lowered the agenda. from his party. . .

While Johanna Chow-Crilic, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, acknowledged that the IRA was not "perfect" given provisions that "spread the risk of expanding fossil fuel extraction and use", the IRA is "a game-changer and a source of hope".

"We finally have a Congress that takes an interest in the science of how dangerous man-made climate change is and is pushing for clean energy solutions that the vast majority of people in the United States support," Krylik said. "It is disappointing and deeply troubling that despite the urgent need for action, Republican lawmakers have largely refused to support critical climate policy."

All progressive lawmakers in Congress voted in favor of the bill despite concerns from grassroots climate advocates about the legislation's benefits to the fossil fuel industry, including a section calling for new lease sales of oil and gas as a prerequisite for wind and solar development.

"It's a start, and we still have work to do to fully address the cost of living crisis," Representative Jamal Bowman (D-New York) said after the law was passed.

"People deserve lower prices for insulin and lower prices for drugs in general, even if they have private health insurance," Bowman continued. “We must protect frontline communities from fossil fuel pollution and ultimately end our dependence on oil, gas and coal. Our work continues to provide affordable, high-quality housing, childcare, education, a $15 minimum wage, immigration justice, and more.” Today we celebrate progress, and recommit all rebuilding with better priorities, too.

At a press conference ahead of Friday's vote, Representative Pramila Jayapal (D), the chair of the Progressive Caucus in Congress, said the IRA "represents the largest-ever federal investment in climate action, putting the United States once again on the right path toward reducing carbon pollution." ". by 40% ".% by 2030," a prediction that some climate advocates have questioned because of its reliance on the effectiveness of unproven carbon capture technology.

"We still have more to do," Jayapal told the House of Representatives, referring to the bill's exclusion of funding for housing and childcare. “But today, let us celebrate this great investment of the people.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said the IRA was taking steps to "relax the grip" of corporate interests on Congress.

But the bill in many ways reflects the power that US companies continue to wield over the legislative process. In addition to donations to Big Oil under the Manchin guarantee, the private equity industry won, with Sinema's help, the removal of last-minute tax provisions targeting the infamous interest loophole.

The Republicans, given the opportunity by an unelected senator, also eliminated a provision that would limit insulin exchanges to $35 a month for privately insured patients. The bill still contains a cap on insulin participation for Medicare Part D enrollees, as well as a cap of $2,000 per year on recipient spending on prescription drugs.

Despite late reactionary amendments to the bill, corporate lobbyists such as the US Chamber of Commerce have mobilized forcefully against the IRA, with particular emphasis on rolling back drug price provisions and imposing a 15% tax on highly profitable companies.

US spokeswoman Liz Zelnick said shortly before Friday's vote: "The vested interests of billion-dollar companies, including big pharma, say the sky will fall apart if they finally pay their fair share of taxes or negotiate more tariffs. In a fair way". "The industry's rhetoric stands in stark contrast to its public statements that show record profits, virtually no reasonable taxes, and major giveaways for wealthy investors and CEOs."

"The truth is that highly profitable companies can contribute more to an economy that works for all, but many would rather continue to charge seniors and their families for what they want without paying anything," Zelnick added. That's why Congress needs to finish the job of curbing corporate greed, cutting costs, and making sure rich companies finally pay their fair share.

Winona Hooter, executive director of Food and Water Watch, a group highly critical of the inflation-reduction law, said Friday that the bill "takes important steps to promote clean energy, but completely fails to curb the extraction of toxic and destructive fossil fuels."

"The inflation-reduction law can only be seen as the beginning of our response to the climate crisis," Hutter said. "More is needed, especially to stop all new fossil fuel projects." "Unfortunately, the bill seeks to promote additional drilling and fracking, an unreasonable compromise that would increase pollution in the frontline and processing communities."

"Our focus should now be on stopping Senator Manchin's horrific 'side deal' to speed up the fossil fuel licensing process," added Hutter. "This giveaway to polluting large corporations will kill any progress that results from passing this legislation."