A $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan will be published "imminently" and a vote on the legislation may take place "in a matter of days," Senator Chuck Schumer announced Sunday afternoon.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during a news conference about climate change outside the U.S. Capitol.
Senators Working To Finalize the $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill
In a recently published article in MSN News, Senators worked over the weekend to finish the legislation's language in hopes to approve it before the August break. President Joe Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure proposal includes increased investment in bridges, highways, internet rail, and water infrastructure.
Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a conservative Democrat with a swing vote in the U.S. Senate, said he expects the language to be approved on Sunday, with some changes to be debated on Sunday or Monday. He also added that the bill will pass the Senate.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill is a critical step in the Biden administration's broad economic plan, which includes a $4 trillion infusion of government spending over the next decade aimed at transforming the U.S. economy, according to a published article in Financial Times.
Republican Senator Said the Bill Has Enough Support from Lawmakers
Republican Senator Susan Collins claimed on Sunday that Joe Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure plan has enough support from legislators to pass the Senate this week. Collins said that the measure may be presented on the Senate floor as early as late Sunday and that she expects at least 10 Republican senators to support it.
Collins, the Republican senator for Maine, said, "This bill is good for America. Every senator can look at bridges and roads and need for more broadband, waterways in their states, seaports, airports, and see the benefits, the very concrete benefits, no pun intended, of this legislation."
The bill's magnitude, though, has been a source of contention among legislators. Republicans, who mainly represent rural states and towns, want less money for public transportation, while Democrats, whose support is centered on cities, want more, according to a published article in Head Topics.
Senate Democrats Plan to Introduce $3.5 Trillion Bill
Senate Democrats also want to introduce a second $3.5 trillion package that would contain additional spending on environmental programs, health care, and a variety of other projects. Progressive legislators argue that the bipartisan plan does not go far enough to combat climate change and increase social expenditures.
Republicans have been vocal in their opposition to the $3.5 trillion infrastructure plan proposed only by Democratic Lawmakers. Democrats want to use the budget reconciliation procedure to approve the second package, which may enable them to do it without the backing of Republicans.
After the bipartisan infrastructure legislation succeeds, Schumer said on Sunday, he will immediately go to the other track and take up the $3.5 trillion plan. He also said that the American people need both tracks and that they must be completed.
The accord has been hailed by Biden as vital to the U.S. economy and a proof that he can broker bipartisan agreements in Washington, raising the political stakes of the talks. Last month, Biden was compelled to reach an agreement with a group of moderate senators, including Arizona Democrat Kyrsten Sinema and Maine Republican Susan Collins.
Related Article: Senate GOP Rejects Infrastructure Bill; Bipartisan Group Affirms They Are Getting Close to Finish Line
