Pelosi pushes for infrastructure vote, but progressives say Biden framework not enough: LIVE UPDATES
Top Democrats are trying to hold a vote on the infrastructure bill Thursday, but progressives say they won't let it pass until reconciliation does
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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the administration is "confident" that Democrats will pass both bills in the coming days.
Psaki's full statement:
"After decades of inaction on some of the most pressing issues for American families, today the President put forward a historic economic growth framework that will make the biggest investment in tackling the climate crisis in history, cut the cost of child care in half for a majority of middle class families, make universal pre-K a reality, and make the biggest progress in lowering the cost of health care in over 10 years.
Out of the gate, this unprecedented framework was welcomed across the country—including by organized labor, civil rights groups, business, and the climate community—and by every kind of Democrat in Congress. Legislative text is starting to become public, and the road to passing both critical parts of the President’s plan to make our economy deliver for middle class families—not just the wealthy—is clearer than ever.
As the President said this morning, we are proud of the hard work we’ve done with Members of Congress over these last months, and we’re confident that soon we’ll pass both the Build Back Better Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal."
In a letter to her colleagues, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said an "overwhelming number" of House Democrats support both President Biden's social spending bill and the bipartisan infrastructure bill focused on physical projects.
Pelosi acknowledged the delay in her plan to bring the infrastructure bill up for a vote on Thursday night. She called on lawmakers to review draft text of the spending bill and submit their feedback.
Pelosi's full letter can be viewed below.
Dear Democratic Colleague,
Today, we were honored by the visit from President Joe Biden, who inspired us with his vision and dazzled us with his thorough knowledge of the specifics of the Build Back Better Framework. He also emphasized his support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework.
As you know by now, the House will postpone the vote on the BIF. The good news is that most Members who were not prepared for a yes vote today have expressed their commitment to support the BIF. I thank the overwhelming number of House Democrats who support both the BIF and the Build Back Better Act. It is both heartening and impressive to observe the strength of Members’ engagement in the discussion.
Many thanks to Chairman Jim McGovern and the Members of the Rules Committee for the marathon hearing on the Build Back Better Act today. The text of the legislation is online for your review. The Budget Committee, under the leadership of Chairman John Yarmuth, has released a section-by-section analysis of the legislation.
Your feedback is welcome and necessary, soon, to assist the Rules Committee as it prepares the BBB legislation for Floor action. As you may recall, we are ready for the Floor vote on the BIF, because the debate on the rule and the bill have already occurred. Thank you for your leadership For The People.
Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said the $1.75T framework agreement on President Biden's social spending bill "is the product of months of negotiations and input from all members of the Democratic Party who share a common goal to deliver for the American people."
"As we work through the text of the legislation I would hope all of us will continue to deal in good faith and do what is right for the future of the American people," he added.
The Senate adjourned until Monday at 3 p.m. ET, shortly after lawmakers reached an agreement to deem the surface transportation authorization passed pending its approval by the House. The adjournment confirms Biden's spending bill won't be brought up for a vote until next week at the earliest.
The House will vote shortly on a short-term extension for surface transportation funding in what is expected to be the final vote of the week. That means Democratic leaders have effectively delayed plans to vote on President Biden's social spending bill and the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure bill.
The delay followed pushback from progressive lawmakers, who demanded both measures be brought to a vote at the same time. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was pushing for the chamber to vote on the infrastructure bill by as soon as tonight.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal says the group's members "overwhelmingly voted to endorse in principle the entire Build Back Better Act framework." However, the group reiterated that it will not consider a bipartisan infrastructure bill focused on physical projects unless President Biden's social spending bill is brought up for a vote at the same time.
The statement marked a rebuke to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is pushing for a vote on the infrastructure bill by as soon as today.
“The reality is that while talks around the infrastructure bill lasted months in the Senate, there has only been serious discussion around the specifics of the larger Build Back Better Act in recent weeks, thanks to the Progressive Caucus holding the line and putting both parts of the agenda back on the table," Jayapal said in a statement. "Now, Congress needs to finish the job and bring both bills to a vote together. This cannot be accomplished without legislative text that can be fully assessed and agreed upon by all parties, including 218 Representatives and all 50 senators in the Democratic Caucus.
"There is too much at stake for working families and our communities to settle for something that can be later misunderstood, amended, or abandoned altogether. That is why dozens of our members insist on keeping both bills linked and cannot vote only for one until they can be voted on together.
“Members of our Caucus will not vote for the infrastructure bill without the Build Back Better Act. We will work immediately to finalize and pass both pieces of legislation through the House together," she added.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., refused to answer questions from reporters on Thursday asking whether she supports President Biden's reconciliation framework, and her staffer snapped at reporters who asked that question to her.
"Are you supporting this, Senator Sinema? Does it have your full support, ma’am?" Fox News' Jason Donner asked Sinema.
"She put out a statement," her staffer replied, to which reporters responded that it was not clear if she supported Biden's framework.
"After months of productive, good-faith negotiations with President Biden and the White House, we have made significant progress on the proposed budget reconciliation package. I look forward to getting this done, expanding economic opportunities and helping everyday families get ahead," Sinema's statement said.
The Sinema staffer challenged multiple reporters to say what outlet they are with, which they did.
The reporters again said Sinema's statement was not clear.
But neither Sinema nor the staffer clarified whether the senator supports the president's framework. The Sinema staffer again insisted they did not know which outlet the reporters were with.
House progressives are refusing to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill until they have at least a public commitment from Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., that they will vote for reconciliation. If Sinema continues to keep her stance a mystery, there's a strong chance there will be no infrastructure vote Thursday or potentially even Friday.
Democrats have released the text of their massive social spending bill, outlining many of the priorities of President Biden's "Build Back Better" plan.
The bill, released Thursday comes just one day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., signaled optimism that various factions of the Democratic caucus were close to reaching a deal on the legislation.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is urging Democrats to pass a stalled $1 trillion infrastructure package as soon as today, but is being rebuffed by progressive lawmakers who are threatening to vote against the bipartisan measure unless it's accompanied by a larger, party-line spending bill.
It marks the latest battle in an ongoing intraparty war between moderates who want to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which includes $550 billion in new funding for traditional projects like roads, bridges and transits, as soon as possible, and progressives who insist they'll sink the measure unless the upper chamber first approves a more expansive spending proposal.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was asked several times near the tail end of her Thursday press conference if the House will hold a vote on the infrastructure bill Thursday.
She walked away from the podium without answering the question, then stopped and walked back, appearing as if she would answer the question.
But she'd simply forgotten her mask on the podium, and continued to ignore reporters' questions about an infrastructure vote.
"I’m just getting my mask,” she said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to address the media Thursday afternoon shortly after 2 p.m. as Democrats try to come to an agreement to jam through their reconciliation and infrastructure bills.
President Biden introduced his $1.75 trillion reconciliation framework earlier Thursday to generally positive feedback, not all moderates or progressives appear fully on board.
Pelosi is trying to wrangle House progressives to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill Thursday. But progressives have said until they have a reconciliation bill ready for a vote, they will tank the infrastructure bill.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said Thursday that her caucus backs President Biden's proposed reconciliation framework, despite the fact at least a few members have expressed concerns about it," Fox News' Caroline McKee reports.
"Everyone in the room and through enthusiastically endorsed a resolution that approves in, in principle, the framework that the president laid out today," she said.
Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., expressed concerns about the substance of the framework in wake of many programs that had to be cut. So did Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. But it appears most progressives are willing to vote for the reconciliation bill if it's turned into legislative text.
Progressives still plan to block any infrastructure vote until there is a deal on reconciliation, however. This could complicate matters as lawmakers plan to stay over the weekend and possibly longer to deliver legislative wins to President Biden.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said that House progressives are "excited about the framework" after President Biden unveiled his proposed reconciliation plan Thursday, Fox News' Caroline McKee reports.
"We are excited about the progress that has been made. We look forward to even working, you know, throughout the weekend to get the two pieces of legislation done," Omar added.
But, she said, progressives will not be voting for the bipartisan infrastructure bill until they see a full legislative text of the reconciliation bill that's ready for a vote.
"We still remain in the same position we were before," she said. "[Progressives] need to see legislation and they need to see that passed."
A senior administration official said Thursday that they are "extremely close" to a final deal on reconciliation, despite the fact Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., all are not explicitly saying they back the president's proposed framework.
"Still work to do, but huge progress," the senior administration official said, according to Fox News' Chris Wallace.
The official added that despite the fact Democrats are not all coalescing around the president's plan, they are "confident" it "can pass the Senate."
“This is all in the hands of the House right now," Manchin said Thursday. "I work in good faith and I look forward to continue working in good faith and that’s all I have to say today."
"After months of productive, good-faith negotiations with President Biden and the White House, we have made significant progress on the proposed budget reconciliation package. I look forward to getting this done, expanding economic opportunities and helping everyday families get ahead," Sinema said.
"It is a major major step forward but clearly to my mind, it has some major gaps in it," Sanders said of reconciliation.
Fox News' Kelly Phares reports Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is having an all-caucus meeting with Senate Democrats and the White House Thursday afternoon, according to a senior Democratic aide.
The meeting comes as progressives express major concerns about the reconciliation framework, and say they won't vote for an infrastructure bill unless they get a commitment from moderate Democrats to back reconciliation.
Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) member Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Thursday slammed moderate Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and expressed doubts about the substance of President Biden's reconciliation framework.
Asked what the progressives' concerns in their Thursday caucus meeting are, Cohen said "about the substance."
"And basically it's trust of Manchin and Sinema and that's the problem," he continued. Cohen said progressices need to hear them "saying they agree with the framework that's laid out by the president," to calm their concerns.
"They've been the problem really," Cohen added. "It's two people in the Senate who are putting their opinions above everybody else."
On whether the bipartisan infrastructure bill would be voted on Thursday, Cohen said he would defer to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
But, he said, "I don't think it will pass if it comes up today."
"They'd like to have text and they'd like to have the assurances from somebody that Manchin and Sinema will vote for the reconciliation," Cohen added on what would allow progressives to vote for infrastructure.
Asked if CPC Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., would speak with Manchin or Sinema Thursday, Cohen said, "I doubt that would be a good conversation."
Cohen also said he is unsure whether progressives even support the details of President Biden's reconciliation proposal/
"I don't know," he said when asked if most progressives would back the substance of the framework, even if it were already a complete bill with text.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., entered and later left the Congressional Progressice Caucus meeting Thursday without speaking to either reporters or the progressives in the meeting.
"The speaker didn't speak," Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said when he walked out of the meeting himself.
Pelosi had a press conference scheduled for 11:15 but that was delayed until 2 p.m.
Progressives all day have expressed their reluctance to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, as Pelosi is asking them to.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said Thursday that the ball is in the House of Representatives' court on President Biden's spending agenda, as he stopped short of backing the White House's reconciliation framework.
"This is all in the hands of the House right now. I work in good faith and I look forward to continue working in good faith and that’s all I have to say today," Manchin said according to Fox News' Jason Donner.
Manchin has pushed the House to move quickly on the bipartisan infrastructure bill, but progressives are reluctant to back it because they don't trust Manchin to support reconciliation.
President Biden is making remarks late Thursday morning about his framework for Democrats' reconciliation bill and efforts to quickly pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
"I'm pleased to announce that after months of tough and thoughtful negotiations, I think we have an historic -- I know we have a historic economic framework," Biden said.
Vice President Harris joined Biden as he made his remarks.
His comments come as progressives are threatening to vote against the infrastructure bill until the reconciliation framework is turned into legislative text, and as questions remain about whether all Democrats will back reconciliation.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Thursday that he is not satisfied with the climate provisions in President Biden's reconciliation framework, according to Fox News' Chad Pergram.
He said there will need to be improvements, and he will need to see the legislative text before making a final decision, according to Fox News' Jason Donner.
Sanders' support for the reconciliation framework will be key to satisfying House progressives on any infrastructure vote.
Progressive Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., said Thursday that she still will not vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill despite President Biden's proposed reconciliation framework Thursday," Fox News' Kelly Phares reports.
"No," she said when asked whether she can vote for the infrastructure bill after the president's remarks to House Democrats.
"Yes," she said when asked if she will need a reconciliation bill vote to back infrastructure.
With tight margins and only a few Republicans expected to vote for infrastructure, Democrats can only afford a few defections.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., one of the moderate holdouts of Democrats reconciliation bill, said that they've achieved "progress" in a Thursday statement, but did not commit to vote for the reconciliation bill.
"After months of productive, good-faith negotiations with President Biden and the White House, we have made significant progress on the proposed budget reconciliation package. I look forward to getting this done, expanding economic opportunities and helping everyday families get ahead," she said.
The statement is yet more evidence that even moderate Democrats are trying to get to "yes" on Biden's agenda. But the lack of a firm commitment could make House progressives reluctant to back a quick vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said Thursday she doesn't believe House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has the votes on infrastructure and doubts that moderate senators are on board with President Biden's reconciliation framework.
According to Fox News' Hillary Vaughn, Jayapal said Pelosi, "wants a vote on infrastructure today…it’s logistically possible but I don’t know if we have the votes.”
Jayapal added that though Biden said he is "confident he can get the votes, it wasn’t clear whether the two senators have committed to vote for it."
"I believe it's a bit of a leap of faith for the president," Jayapal said.
President Biden told House Democrats in a meeting Thursday that their majorities in the House and Senate, as well as his presidency, hang in the balance, reports Fox News' Caroline McKee.
“I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that the House and Senate majorities and my presidency will be determined by what happens in the next week," Biden said, according to a source familiar. "I need you to help me. I need your votes."
Biden and top Democrats are asking for their members to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill as soon as possible despite the fact President Biden's framework for the reconciliation bill is far from a legislative text ready for a vote.
According to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the House of Representatives may vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill Thursday.
Top Democrats are trying to wrangle the votes to force the bil through, but its unclear if President Biden's infrastructure framework will be enough to satisfy progressives who want a full bill.
House Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., are pushing their fellow progressives to not vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill despite pleas from top Democrats, including President Biden, that they lift their blockade on the bill.
"We want to see what's actually in the bill. We want to see the legislative text," Jayapal said Thursday, according to Fox News' Amy Wehinger. "Assuming we're fine with that, we'll vote both bills through at the same time."
A source familiar also confirmed to Fox News' Hillary Vaughn that Sanders Wednesday night urged House progressives to hold their ground and not vote for the infrastructure bill until reconciliation is ready for a vote.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said Thursday that she will not vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill until there is a legislative text of the reconciliation bill ready for a vote, according to Fox News' Chad Pergram.
"We need to keep the promise that was made," Omar said, referring to progressive Democrats demand that the bills move "together."
"We can vote next week on both of them," Omar said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., meanwhile, appeared open Thursday morning to the possibility of voting on the infrastructure bill before reconciliation is done.
If House Democrats try to force a vote on infrastructure before the reconciliation bill has taken final shape, several House progressives are expected to vote against it. Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said the number is in the "dozens," though it is not clear exactly how many.
Some Republicans are expected to vote for infrastructure as well. But it's not clear their "yes" votes would be able to overcome the progressives' "no" votes.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Thursday morning projected considerably less confidence than the White House in the chances President Biden's reconciliation framework can make it through Congress, according to Fox News' Jason Donner.
"I wish I could say yes, but the there's a great deal of uncertainty within the caucus as to what's contained in the deal," Durbin said when asked if he is confident all 50 Democrats are on board. "I will tell you there is a will to do it. And I think a positive feeling of 48 senators, we've been waiting to satisfy two senators. I hope that we can do that soon."
President Biden told reporters that "it's a good day," as he arrived at the Capitol Thursday morning to address House Democrats in their caucus meeting, according to Fox News' Kelly Phares.
Asked if he believes the reconciliation framework the White House released is sufficient to get progressives to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Biden replied, "yes."
A reporter also asked Biden if Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is expected to back his $1.75 trillion reconciliation framework.
"Everybody's on board," Biden said.
The reconciliation framework President Biden plans to announce to House Democrats at their 9 a.m. caucus meeting will include an estimated $1.995 trillion pay-fors, including a tax on stock buybacks, efforts by the IRS to stop tax dodgers and more.
The plan will also include a child tax credit, universal preschool, and a modified Medicaid expansion, among other things. Notably not in the plan are universal community college, paid family leave, and other policies.
"The president believes this framework will earn the support of all 50 Democratic senators and pass the House," a senior administration official said of the plan Thursday morning. "He will defer to Speaker Pelosi... on the specific timing of votes, but he will be full-throated that he believes each of these bills should pass when they come."
An official added: "We're not going to speak for any lawmakers from here… But our bottom line is we are confident that this will earn the support of every Democratic senator pass the House."
The White House estimates that its plan will cost $1.75 trillion, and that its pay-fors would raise $1.995 trillion. There is no bill text to these claims have not actually been evaluated by the Congressional Budget Office or any independent watchdogs.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Thursday morning that President Biden's reconciliation framework will have to be better than something "on the back of an envelope" for her to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill this week, according to Fox News' Chad Pergram.
"I think we need to have certainty either through legislative text, through a uniform agreement that we can trust because there's been so many changes in this process," she also said. "I think legislative text is one mechanism of us getting there."
"No doing the hokey-pokey, one foot in, one foot out. So we need certainty that we're going to be able to deliver," she said.
Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives have been demanding not only a bill text but a vote on a reconciliation bill in order for them to back the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which top Democrats want to pass this week.
The topline number of the reconciliation framework President Biden is expected to announce to House Democrats Thursday is $1.75 trillion, Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich reports.
If Democrats do indeed coalesce around that number, it would represent a massive victory for moderates who were reluctant to spend $3.5 trillion on social programs.
It would also represent significant compromise from President Biden and progressives, who cut their spending demands in half from the original $3.5 trillion proposal. Some progressives wanted to spend even more.
Fox News is told a modified form of Medicaid expansion is expected to be in Democrats' reconciliation framework, which President Biden is planning to announce to House Democrats this morning at their 9 a.m. caucus meeting.
A Senate source told Fox News that although they have not gotten a complete guarantee that it will be in the bill, the framework is expected to include coverage for Americans who are not covered by expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
"Not full expansion or creation of a federal lookalike program," the source said of what is expected to be in the bill, "but ACA subsidies through 2025 for people in the gap" in states that did not expand Medicaid under the ACA.
The inclusion of Medicaid expansion in the framework -- if it remains in the final bill -- would be a major victory for the Democrats who were pushing for it, including Sens. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.
Warnock is up for reelection in 2022.
Medicaid expansion is one of many policies and provisions that Democrats will have to agree on before they can pass a final reconciliation bill.
President Biden is expected to tell congressional Democrats Thursday morning that they've reached an agreement on a framework for their reconciliation bill, Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich reports.
The goal of the announcement will be to enable progressives, who have been blocking the bipartisan infrastructure bill, to stop their blockade and let the bill pass before President Biden goes to a climate summit in Scotland.
But many progressives, including Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., have said a framework will not be enough to secure their votes for infrastructure. It's unclear whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will be able to keep enough progressives on board with the bill for it to pass.
The bill is expected to cost $1.75 trilion to $1.9 trilllion, though there is no CBO score or legislative text, Fox News' Chad Pergram reports.
Congressional correspondent Chad Pergram gives the latest on Democrats' quest to tax the mega rich on 'Your World.'
President Biden may be meeting Pope Francis in Rome on Friday, but he may be hoping for a miracle in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.
Biden is expected to visit the Democratic Caucus on Capitol Hill on Thursday prior to his European trip in an apparent effort to get his spending initiatives back on track.
Chad Pergram, Fox News' Congressional Correspondent, reported that the president is expected to join fellow Democrats at about 9 a.m.
The meeting comes at a precarious time and new reports of Democratic infighting. There is a push by some Democrats to get a vote on the infrastructure bill, but progressive members continue to eye the social spending package.
“Progressives are holding out because they fear there won’t be guarantees for their policy priorities in the social spending plan,” Pergram said.
Democrats want Biden to nudge progressives along to agree to a loose framework to clear the way for the infrastructure vote. Pergram said such a vote would give Biden a "medium-sized win" before heading to Scotland for the climate summit.
Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., told Fox News’ “Your World With Neil Cavuto” on Wednesday that he believes—based on the conversations he’s had--that the final price for the spending package will be under $2 trillion. “Even if it’s not everything, we really have to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” he said.
Senate Democrats have dropped the paid family and medical leave proposals from the social spending package after negotiations with moderate Democrats failed to reach a compromise on a pared-down version of the proposals, according to Politico.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., one of the senate's leading advocates for the benefits, had tried to reach a last-minute deal with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who has resisted the overall cost of the package.
But Gillibrand told Fox News Wednesday that reports about the benefits being dropped are "premature," signaling hope that some sort of pared-down version could still be in play. -- Edmund DeMarche and Michael Lee
Senate Democrats have dropped the paid family and medical leave proposals from the social spending package after negotiations with moderate Democrats failed to reach a compromise on a pared-down version of the proposals, according to a report.
Democrats decided to drop the proposals on Wednesday despite that they were a key campaign promise of President Biden, according to reporting from Politico. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., one the senate's leading advocates for the benefits, had tried to reach a last-minute deal with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who has resisted the overall cost of the package.
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House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal indicated Wednesday that a tax proposal targeting billionaires’ unrealized investment gains will be dropped from consideration in President Biden’s spending bill, an assertion that was immediately rejected by the Senate Democrat who introduced the concept.
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