What Biden won even without a deal

The president's scaled-back spending plan gained progressive support [View this email online]( [NPR]( [Progressive caucus leader Pramila Jayapal speaks to a gaggle of reporters in the Capitol]( Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images The big picture: Progressive split screen President Biden laid it on the line with House Democrats when he traveled to Capitol Hill on Thursday: What happens in the next week will define his presidency and House and Senate majorities in 2022. He made a personal appeal for party unity to move two key pieces of his agenda — [a $1.75 trillion framework]( that includes major health care, education and climate programs, and [a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill]( funding roads, bridges and broadband. But instead, progressives denied him a win, blocking an infrastructure vote the same day the president traveled to Europe for meetings with foreign leaders. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had to backtrack for a second time on her plan to advance at least part of the Democrats' "Build Back Better" agenda. Liberals ignored appeals to show they can deliver on campaign promises, saying the two bills are tied together and must be voted on at the same time. But after a messy week, Biden came away with something potentially more valuable than immediate passage of one part of his legislative agenda — the endorsement from the progressive caucus on his scaled-back social policy and climate bill. Instead of complaints about what wasn’t in the compromise, progressives held up what was in it, policies like money for child care and coverage for hearing aids. They say they are fighting for the entire program. Facing reality about what can pass with razor-thin majorities in Congress means Democrats are actually closer to a deal than ever. Progressives still say they want solid commitments from two Senate centrists — [Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.]( — that they will stick with the framework and vote for it. But now that discussions are narrowing on policy details and both sides agreed to the price tag, Democrats could be in striking distance of passing their most expansive social programs in decades. They recognize if they don’t act now they may not be in control after 2022 to get another chance at something this broad. Leaders vow they will work to finalize and pass both bills soon. The president‘s diplomacy may need to extend beyond meetings in Italy and Scotland when he returns next week and tries to close the deal in Washington that could help determine whether he gets another term in 2024. — Deirdre Walsh, NPR acting congressional correspondent [Read more about the plan]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [President Biden shakes hands with Pope Francis at the Vatican]( Divisione Produzione Fotografica/AP ICYMI: Top Stories Biden meets the pope: [President Biden met with Pope Francis]( at the Vatican on Friday, where the two leaders discussed climate change, the coronavirus pandemic and global poverty. The meeting was both [official and deeply personal for Biden]( who’s just the second Catholic president in U.S. history. It continued the relatively recent tradition of presidents meeting with the pontiff, [which began in 1919 under President Woodrow Wilson](. Paid leave dropped: Paid family leave, a campaign goal of President Biden and many congressional Democrats, was [dropped this week from his major domestic spending plan]( in an effort to cut the overall price of the plan and win the support of moderate Democrats. The U.S. remains one of a handful of countries, and the only wealthy nation, without a national paid leave policy. Kinzinger won’t run again: GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger announced that [he will not run for another term in Congress next year](. Kinzinger is one of two Republicans on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters, and he was one of just 10 Republicans to vote to impeach former President Donald Trump in the wake of the insurrection. Biden FCC nominations: [President Biden is nominating Jessica Rosenworcel as the chair of the Federal Communications Commission]( and former FCC staffer Gigi Sohn to a second vacant seat on the commission. Both are expected to push for a return of Obama-era net neutrality rules. Senate hearing on social media: Representatives from Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube faced hours of questions from lawmakers this week in a hearing about how the apps have been misused to promote bullying, worsen eating disorders and help teens buy dangerous drugs or engage in reckless behavior. [Here are four key takeaways from the hearing](. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- [A portrait of Robert Davis who helps people leaving jail or prison reenter society.]( Nate Palmer for NPR Going Deeper Long road to freedom: Robert Davis seemed to be doing everything right when he got out of prison. But miscommunications between the U.S. Parole Commission and his parole officers held him back from his full freedom. His case underscores the complexity of the criminal legal system and the barriers for many people striving to do the right thing. [Read Davis' story here](. Remembering a radical feminist: Years before Roe v. Wade established the constitutional right for a woman to terminate her pregnancy, Pat Maginnis advocated for unequivocal abortion rights through a variety of direct actions. [Read more about the lesser-known activist who died earlier this year](. — Dana Farrington, NPR Politics digital editor --------------------------------------------------------------- [Graph showing the output of carbon emissions vs global pledges]( Connie Hanzhang Jin/NPR The Shot: High stakes at the U.N. climate summit Leaders from around the world are gathering in Glasgow, Scotland, to hammer out new pledges to fight climate change. Scientists warn that heat-trapping emissions must fall dramatically by 2030. Four charts show what negotiators are up against. — Dana Farrington, NPR Politics digital editor [See the charts]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Saturday%20Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. 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