US lawmakers approve Biden's climate plan

The US lawmakers on Friday voted to approve President Joe Biden's sprawling climate, tax and health care plan, a major win for the veteran Democrat that includes the biggest American investment in the fight against global warming.

After approval of the bill in the Senate by a razor-thin margin, the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives passed along strict party lines, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.

Biden praised the adoption of his plan, which includes a US $370 billion investment that will bring a 40 per cent drop in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Special interests were lost, the president tweeted in the minutes after the vote.

With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the House, families will see lower prescription drug prices, lower health care costs, and lower energy costs. I look forward to signing it into law next week. Biden has a clear victory on one of his top policy priorities less than three months before November's crucial midterm elections, with his Democratic Party's control of Congress in the balance.

It should help restore a sense of U.S. leadership in the fight to reduce carbon emissions.

In her final comments before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the legislation a robust cost-cutting package that meets the moment, making sure our families thrive and ensuring that our planet survives. The package includes the largest ever commitment to fighting climate change by the world's biggest economy, one of the worst polluters, as well as one of the world's worst polluters.

Climate activists rejoiced after the 220 -- 207 vote, which earned the support of all Democrats, even progressives who lamented that it did not go far enough.

The president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, Johanna Chao Kreilick, said the legislation was a game changer and reason for hope. The Inflation Reduction Act would provide US $64 billion for health care initiatives and ensure lower costs for some drugs, which can be 10 times more expensive in the United States than in some other rich nations.

The Bill is being criticised by conservatives as wasteful spending, and no Republican lawmakers supported it.

Democrats are jamming through Congress a bill that will spend hundreds of billions of dollars our country doesn't have, on far-left policies our country can't afford, Republican lawmaker Lee Zeldin tweeted.