Senate Majority Leader Plans Preliminary Vote on Infrastructure Package
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plans to hold a preliminary vote on the $579 billion bipartisan infrastructure framework and move forward on a separate $3.5 trillion tax and spending proposal as soon as Wednesday of this week. A procedural vote on a motion to begin debate on the infrastructure package is scheduled for Wednesday.
Senate Democrats have also been instructed to unite behind a budget blueprint that would promote President Biden’s economic and social agenda by Wednesday. However, it will take time before either package reaches President Biden’s desk.
While a bipartisan group of 22 Senators is currently working on an infrastructure plan, they haven’t agreed on how to pay for the plan. This, according to Republicans in the Senate, is the primary reason why the legislation has not moved forward.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said, “We still don’t have the pay-fors entirely nailed down. Part of that is getting scores back from CBO [the Congressional Budget Office], what works and what doesn’t”
Republicans dropped the idea of using revenue gained from stricter Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement to offset costs because Democrats intend to include that in their separate tax and spending package.
Republican Senators are urging Majority Leader Schumer to delay the vote so that they can reach a consensus. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) said, “I think it should be Monday, not Wednesday. Give us time to resolve the remaining issues” and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) furthered, “My hope is that Sen. Schumer will agree to postpone the vote. We’re making significant progress.”
Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) explained, “It’s more important to get it right than to meet an arbitrary deadline. We should bring the legislation forward when it’s ready.”
Senator Schumer’s other target is the $3.5 million tax and spending proposal. The details of the proposal have not yet been spelled out and several lawmakers are asking for the details of the plan. In order for the legislation to pass without GOP support, Schumer needs the backing of all 50 senators who caucus with Democrats.
