The Senate MP ruled Monday that Democrats can use special budget rules to avoid a GOP hurdle in two more pieces of legislation, while setting the stage for President Biden
Joe BidenBiden should seek “Ostpolitik” to negotiate with autocrats The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s infrastructure plan triggers definition debate Note: Biden’s commitment to taxes MOREThe infrastructure agenda will be approved in two packages with simple majority votes.
It is a victory for Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (DN.Y.), which allows him to approve Biden’s $ 2.25 trillion package by revising the 2021 fiscal budget resolution.
Schumer could pass a budget resolution for Prosecutor 2022 to make a third conciliation package for the second half of Biden’s infrastructure agenda. Or the 2021 fiscal budget could be revised a third time to establish a third conciliation package.
Schumer’s top aides had argued with MP Elizabeth MacDonough last month that section 304 of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act allows them to revise the 2021 budget resolution to create additional conciliation instructions, setting out avenues for approving two projects. of law plus this year simple majority in the Senate 50-50.
“The lawmaker has reported that a revised budget resolution may contain budget conciliation instructions. This confirms the leader’s interpretation of the Budget Act and allows Democrats additional tools to improve the lives of Americans if Republican obstruction continues.” said a spokesman for Schumer in a statement. Monday. “While no decision has been made on a legislative path forward through section 304 and some parameters still need to be defined, the MP’s view is an important step forward that this key path is available to Democrats if necessary. “.
Democrats used the budget reconciliation process earlier this year to pass Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill without Republican Party votes, instead of the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation in the upper house.
The new ruling will allow Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi Lawyers say resolving the border crisis is Biden’s job. Suspects of Capitol car attack delirium, suicidal thoughts: Schumer report: Vehicle attack underscores need for Congress to “address security at Capitol” MORE (D-California) to split the Biden infrastructure proposal into two legislative packages.
The first part, a $ 2.25 trillion measure introduced by the White House last month, includes more traditional infrastructure priorities. The second part, scheduled for the end of the year, will include more spending priorities focused on people favored by progressives, such as extended child care, free community college, universal preschool, and more affordable housing.
Both the Senate and the House will have to pass another simultaneous resolution to activate an additional set of conciliation instructions.
Democratic aides say a second infrastructure package will be needed if Biden’s $ 2.25 trillion proposal is reduced in an effort to get Republican votes or block the support of Democratic centrists like the senator. Joe Manchin
Senator Joe ManchinGOP launches Biden proposal to raise corporate tax rate. Filibuster can be conquered: I know, I helped to do it Lawmakers say solving the border crisis is Biden’s job MORE (W.Va.).
A Schumer aide said last week that the majority leader “wants to maximize his options to allow Senate Democrats multiple avenues to advance President Biden Build Back Better agenda if Senate Republicans try to obstruct or water down a deal bipartisan “.
Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden
Ronald (Ron) Lee Wyden Worried about China? Make the source easier elsewhere, Schumer says the Senate will move forward on legalizing marijuana. Biden launches Capitol Hill spending on expenses, taxes MORE (D-Ore), which has jurisdiction over tax legislation that Democrats plan to pass to pay for part of Biden’s infrastructure agenda, applauded parliament’s decision Monday evening.
“I am pleased with the parliamentarian’s decision that budget resolutions can be revised, which allows us to consider moving additional bills through the conciliation process. The American people want bold action to address the many challenges our country and Democrats now have more options to overcome Republican obstruction and get things done, ”he said in a statement.
Senate Republicans argued that Democrats should not have been allowed to move two separate reconciliation packages, with special protections against a filibuster, from the same budget resolution.
“This is an abuse of the process and clearly not what was designed to make reconciliation, but they will continue to move forward anyway,” a GOP aide said.
The party that controls the White House, the House and the Senate usually tries to advance only one budget conciliation package for the fiscal year. During the ex President Trump
Donald TrumpBiden should look to “Ostpolitik” to negotiate with autocrats The Memorandum: Biden’s Bet on Taxes Why Some Republicans Think Vaccine Passports Will Turn Against Democrats MOREIn the first year of office, Republicans used a budget resolution during 2017 to advance legislation that would have repealed some parts of the Affordable Care Act, followed by a 2018 budget resolution for the prosecutor to enact the Cuts Act. and jobs.
Schumer used the first budget reconciliation package for fiscal year 2021 to approve the $ 1.9 trillion U.S. bailout plan in a 50-49 vote on March 6th.
MacDonough offered Democrats a setback on this bill by ruling in late February that they could not add a provision that would raise the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour, a provision that Biden had included in his initial motion to relieve the pandemic.
The revision of the 2021 budget resolution will require 15 hours of debate in the Senate floor and another budget vote, which will burn valuable time on the calendar.
“It’s 15 hours for the review on the Senate floor. You still have to report, you still have to convene it, you have to get the word out, you still have the chance to vote in the branch, ”said Bill Hoagland, a budget expert at the Bipartisan Policy Center. “I’m not sure of the big scheme of things you save a lot of time on.”
After reviewing the 2021 budget resolution, Democrats could pass a resolution for Prosecutor 2022, establishing a third budget resolution to approve the second half of Biden’s infrastructure agenda and raise the federal debt limit by the end of year.
Congress has suspended the debt limit until July 2021, when the Treasury Department will begin using “extraordinary measures” to extend the federal government’s credit authority for a few months, probably until the end of the year.
While Democrats could include multiple conciliation instructions in the 2022 budget resolution to approve the two halves of Biden’s infrastructure agenda and raise the debt limit, leaders may consider other priorities for that resolution. .
Updated at 7:05 p.m.