Democrats go big with up to $6T proposed for families plan

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Democrats are prepared to go big on a federal families plan, proposing the investment of trillions into programs like child care.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., met Monday with President Joe Biden to discuss a plan that would include up to $6 trillion in spending — nearly triple what the White House initially suggested.

"We are on the same page," Sanders said of Biden. "A strong majority of the members of the Democratic caucus want to go as big as we possibly can."

If passed, the measure would extend the child tax credit, expand paid family leave and make preschool and community college free.

"(The proposal) shows working-class families of this country the government can and must work for them," Sanders said.

Democrats want to push through a families plan without Republicans. Though Biden and Republicans reached a bipartisan deal to invest in traditional infrastructure, extensive spending on the families programs has always been a sticking point for the GOP.

"Working Americans know that's not what they voted for," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor Tuesday, warning huge government spending would harm the economy and cause inflation to skyrocket. "Nobody seriously thinks our country needs another gigantic overdose of overborrowing, overspending and overtaxing."

He accused Democrats of pushing socialist programs.

"You really can't make this stuff up," McConnell said.

But Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said what McConnell is really opposed to is Democrats.

"It was publicly announced that he's 100% opposed to the Biden agenda," Durbin said.