Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged a massive infrastructure package he’s planning to bring to the floor will also include major spending on child care, family leave, education, healthcare, and climate change mitigation.
“The fact of the matter is brick-and-mortar infrastructure is very important, but it’s no longer the only type of infrastructure that matters in the 21st century,” the New York Democrat said Monday.
Schumer told lawmakers on Friday to expect late nights and potentially canceling the traditional August recess in order to complete work on the massive spending initiative.
‘TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE’: SENATE CRANKS UP SUMMER INFRASTRUCTURE PUSH
Lawmakers and staff have made progress on a narrow, bipartisan measure that would fund traditional infrastructure projects, Schumer said, and the Senate is also preparing to advance a budget resolution that would pave the way for a second bill that would fund “human infrastructure.”
The two measures are of equal importance, he pledged on the Senate floor.
“Human infrastructure, what many might call family support, as our families come under increasing pressure in this modern society, things like child care, family leave, education, healthcare, are just as essential to giving our citizens opportunity as building roads and bridges and railways,” Schumer said.
Democrats are racing to pass the two-part spending package in time to avoid typical election-year gridlock.
The “human infrastructure” package will need all Democrats to support it to pass in the Senate using a special tactic that allows some legislation to circumvent a filibuster.
The measure would call for tax hikes on corporations and the wealthy, and the $6 trillion price tag proposed by Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders has drawn criticism from the party’s fiscal centrists.
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The Senate will have to vote on the top-line spending number in the coming weeks when it takes up a budget resolution. The measure is likely to spark an internal party battle over federal spending and taxes.
“Members should prepare for a busier work period than usual, with the possibility of late-night, first-weekend votes and changes to the August schedule,” Schumer said. “It’s not going to be easy, but it’s certainly going to be worth it.”
