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Washington – The Senate debated amendments to the $ 1,000 billion, 2,700-page bipartisan infrastructure bill late Thursday night before Majority Leader Chuck Schumer adjourned the session and said debate would resume Saturday.
The New York Democrat said there would be a vote to cut off debate on the measure early in this session. A green light would pave the way for a vote on the final passage early next week.
Many senators are expected to be out of town on Friday to attend a memorial service for former Sen. Mike Enzi, a Republican from Wyoming, who passed away last week after a bicycle accident.
Earlier Thursday, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office ruled that the Invoice would add $ 256 billion to the federal deficit over the next decade.
The legislation includes $ 550 billion in new spending for the country’s physical infrastructure. The agency said that from 2021 to 2031, the legislation would reduce direct spending by $ 110 billion, increase revenue by $ 50 billion and increase discretionary spending by $ 415 billion.
“On the net, the legislation would add $ 256 billion to the deficits forecast during this period,” noted the CBO.
The Non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation said earlier this week that the infrastructure bill revenue provisions would increase $ 51 billion over 10 years.
The Senate has debated more than two dozen amendments since the measure text was released on Sunday.
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said shortly before the adjournment that “we really want to finish this important bill”, so he scheduled Saturday’s session.
Republican Senate leaders, meanwhile, cautioned Schumer against acting too quickly to allow all members to propose changes to the 2,702-page bill.
“We need to take the time to do this legislation well, and that means giving senators who are not on the working group enough time to come up with amendments and hopefully improve this product,” the senator said. South Dakota, John Thune, Republican No. 2 in the Senate. , said Thursday.
A bipartisan group of Senate negotiators have spent the past few weeks speaking with President Biden and White House advisers to clarify the details of the bill. They announced a deal Last week.
Mr Biden hailed the proposal as providing the largest investment in the country’s roads, bridges, ports, railways and mass transit in decades, and the measure, as well as a plan to His $ 3.5 trillion larger infrastructure is a key pillar of its economic agenda.
Once the Senate approves the bill and sends it to the House, Senators will vote to approve a budget resolution that provides for the plan for the $ 3.5 trillion package. This legislation incorporates Mr Biden’s policies on child care, healthcare and the environment, which were left out of the narrower bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Approval of the budget resolution kicks off the fast-track process Democrats in Congress are using to pass the larger plan. Known as budget reconciliation, the procedure allows legislation to clear the Senate with 51 votes, and without the support of Republicans.
Both bills go through Congress as part of a two-track strategy, although it may be weeks before either reaches Mr Biden’s office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she will not bring the bipartisan infrastructure bill to the House until the Senate passes the larger $ 3.5 trillion package.
– Brian Dakss contributed reporting
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