The Senate majority leader is pressuring lawmakers to OK two massive measures.
Senate leader wants OKS on infrastructure, budget blueprint
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pressured lawmakers Thursday to reach agreement by next week on a pair of massive domestic spending measures, signaling Democrats’ desire to push ahead aggressively on President Joe Biden’s multitrillion-dollar agenda.
Schumer, D-N.Y., said he was scheduling a procedural vote for Wednesday to begin debate on a still-evolving bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Schumer said he also wanted Democratic senators to reach agreement among themselves by then on specific details of a separate 10-year budget blueprint that envisions $3.5 trillion in spending for climate change, education, an expansion of Medicare and more.
“The time has come to make progress. And we will. We must,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.
Lawmakers working on the smaller infrastructure package met Thursday to discuss the details, but chafed at Schumer’s deadline.
They indicated that substantial hurdles remain, including how to pay for the nearly $579 billion in new spending over five years that they agreed to with the White House. The rest of the money in the infrastructure proposal is a renewal of existing programs.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-VA., said senators differed over whether Schumer’s timeline was helping the bipartisan effort. Warner said the White House is trying to work with senators on ways to pay for the new spending without raising corporate taxes or fees such as the federal gas tax.
“We’re still short on pay-fors,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.
Sen. Rob Portman, R-ohio, predicted lawmakers will be able to craft a final bill, although he was unsure they will meet “anybody’s arbitrary deadline.”
“I appreciate the fact that the majority leader wants to have a vote as soon as possible. I don’t disagree with that, but soon as possible means when it’s ready,” Portman said.