Senate votes to advance $1T public works bill

WASHINGTON — The Senate moved closer to passing a $1 trillion infrastructure package Saturday after lawmakers from both parties came together and voted to clear a key procedural hurdle, but the action soon stalled out as opponents tried to slow the rush to approve one of President Joe Biden’s top priorities.

The measure would provide a massive injection of federal money for a range of public works programs, from roads and bridges to broadband internet access, drinking water and more. In a rare stroke of bipartisanship, Republicans joined the Democrats to overcome the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the measure toward final votes. The vote was 67-27, a robust tally. If approved, the bill would go to the House.

But momentum dragged as opponents refused to yield 30 hours of required debate before the next procedural vote, which could delay swift passage of the package and result in a dayslong slog.

“We can get this done the easy way or the hard way,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said as the Senate opened on Saturday.

Senators are meeting for a second consecutive weekend to work on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is the first of Biden’s two infrastructure packages. Once voting wraps up, senators immediately will turn to the next item on Biden’s agenda, the budget outline for a $3.5 trillion package of child care, elder care and other programs that is a much more partisan undertaking and expected to draw only Democratic support.

Schumer has vowed to keep senators in session until they finish up the bipartisan bill and start the initial votes on the next big package.

Vice President Kamala Harris arrived on Capitol Hill for meetings on the bipartisan legislation, which Biden said offered a potentially “historic investment,” on par with the building of the transcontinental railroad or interstate highway system.

Overcoming the 60-vote hurdle was a sign that the tenuous alliance between Republicans and Democrats could hold on the public works package. At least 10 Republicans had to join all Democrats to advance the measure past a filibuster — and in the end 18 Republican senators voted to advance the package.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has so far allowed the bill to progress, and his vote — “yes” — was closely watched. “This is a compromise,” he said before the vote.

Unlike Biden’s bigger $3.5 trillion package, which would be paid for by higher tax rates for corporations and the wealthy, the bipartisan package is funded by repurposing other money, including untapped COVID-19 aid, and other spending cuts and revenue streams.

The House is in recess and is expected to consider both Biden infrastructure packages when it returns in September.