Infrastructure deal inches closer to reality

The 2,700-page Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—the result of months of bipartisan negotiations—is moving closer to becoming a reality.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., kept the Senate in a rare weekend session to finish the text of the nearly $1 trillion bill so it could move to debate on Monday. The bill includes $550 billion in new spending on bridges, roads, waterworks, energy, and broadband over the next five years.

What happens next? Schumer wants to pass the bill before the chamber is scheduled to adjourn for recess on Aug. 9.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., warned Democrats about pushing an “artificial timetable.” He did not say whether he would vote for the bill.

Other Republican senators said they do not want to rush the evaluation process, but 17 voted with Democrats to bring the bill up for debate. The legislation will need 60 votes to conclude debate and move to final passage in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and the GOP. 

This story originally appeared in WORLD. © 2021, reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.