U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) arrives at a meeting of the House Democratic Committee amid ongoing negotiations on budget and infrastructure legislation at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. August 24, 2021.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
House Democrats advanced President Joe Biden’s economic plans on Tuesday after breaking a deadlock that threatened to unravel the party’s agenda.
In a 220-212 party line vote, the House passed a $ 3.5 trillion budget resolution and advanced a $ 1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. The vote allows Democrats to write and approve a massive Republican-free spending package and puts the Senate-approved infrastructure plan on a path to the final step in the House.
The move includes an unlimited commitment to vote on the infrastructure bill on Sept. 27, which aims to appease nine centrist Democrats who pushed the House to consider the bipartisan plan before it adopts the democratic budget resolution. The vote also advances a broad bill of voting rights, which Democrats intend to pass as soon as Tuesday.
In a statement Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said she “commits to approving the bipartisan infrastructure bill on Sept. 27” and will “meet” her group to approve it. He also stressed that he intends to pass a budget conciliation bill that could reach the Senate, which means it may be smaller than the House progressives want.
Opposition from the nine resilient Democrats threatened an agenda that supporters said would favor the economy and provide a lifeline for working-class households. Democratic leaders have seen the budget plan as the largest expansion of the U.S. social security network in decades.
Pelosi has pushed for approval of the bipartisan and democratic plans at the same time to ensure that centrists and progressives back down both measures. The nine Democrats retained their support, leaving Pelosi and his top deputies struggling to find a way forward to save the party’s economic plans.
They all ended up voting with their party on Tuesday. In a statement after the vote, Democrats led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey said his agreement with party leaders “does what we set out to do: get an independent vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill,” send it to the president’s office, and then consider the conciliation package. ”
The vote to move forward on the measures retains the party’s hopes for boosting massive economic proposals this year. Democrats still have to overcome several obstacles (and draft a budget bill that can win the support of equally distrustful centrists and progressives) to get the proposals through a narrowly divided Congress.
Senate and House Democrats hope to write their bill to strengthen the social safety net and invest in climate policy in the coming weeks. The budget measure calls for expanding Medicare, child care and paid leave, expanding enhanced household tax credits passed last year, creating universal preschools, and encouraging green energy adoption.
While the resolution allows for up to $ 3.5 trillion to be invested, centrists are likely to try to cut the price.
Many Republicans have backed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, saying it will shake up the economy. But they have opposed the billions of spending most proposed by Democrats and the tax hikes on businesses and the rich people they hope to use to pay for them.
The Republican Party has also argued that the Democratic plan would increase inflation, which White House officials have discussed.
This story is unfolding. Please check for updates again.
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