07/29/2021

Democrats Confident on Votes for $3.5 Trillion Budget Resolution

Republicans have opposed many of the proposals in the plan

Senate Democrats say they have the votes to advance a $3.5 trillion budget resolution that includes massive new spending on a range of health, education and federal safety net programs endorsed by President Joe Biden and progressive lawmakers.

Republicans have opposed many of the proposals in the plan, but Democrats intend to move that legislation via the budget reconciliation process which will only require 51 votes to pass. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is trying to pass both a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package and a budget resolution that will include instructions for crafting the $3.5 trillion social spending package before the August recess.

"In order to start work on a reconciliation bill, the Senate must pass a budget resolution first," Schumer said this week. "And we are on track for that as well."

The Senate isn't expected to take up the larger spending bill until September but the budget resolution will get the process started. Key centrist Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have expressed reservations about the price tag on the eventual bill but said they will support moving forward with the budget resolution.

This article was provided to OSAE by ASAE's Power of A and Inroads.