08/05/2021

Infrastructure Package Could Pass by End of Week

It’s been decades since Congress passed such a significant investment

The Senate is voting on a slew of amendments to the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) seeks to pass the bill this week. The Senate is scheduled to start its August recess on Monday but Schumer said the chamber will finish its work on the infrastructure deal and a separate $3.5 trillion budget resolution before leaving Washington.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), one of the bill’s lead negotiators, told reporters yesterday he thinks the amendment process could end as soon as Thursday evening. Barring a reversal of GOP sentiment, the bill appears set to pass with more than the 60 votes needed. The bill includes $550 billion in new spending for roads, bridges, airports, seaports, electric vehicle charging stations, broadband internet and water systems.

“It’s been decades since Congress passed such a significant stand-alone investment and I salute the hard work done here by everybody,” Schumer said. “Given how bipartisan the bill is and how much work has already been put in to get the details right, I believe the Senate can quickly process relevant amendments.”

While it appears the infrastructure bill has the votes for passage, some Republican senators are preparing to mount fierce opposition to the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion social spending package that will be unlocked with the budget resolution.

“The main action on amendments will be in the budget reconciliation, not here [with infrastructure],” said Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN). “I like to cut to the chase and do things that make sense. Not belabor for the sake of belaboring.”

The Senate is not 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 OSAP by ASAE's Power of A and Inroads.