Senate Democrats on the Budget committee announced late Tuesday night that they have reached a deal on a $3.5 trillion package to address "human" infrastructure, which they plan to pass via reconciliation.
Why it matters: The price tag for the proposal — which is expected to include bold provisions on climate change, Medicare and education — comes in far below the $6 trillion figure Budget committee Chair Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and other progressive Democrats have pushed for.
During a press conference following the meeting, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said President Biden will join Senate Democrats at their caucus lunch on Wednesday — his first in-person meeting with lawmakers on the Hill as president — to discuss the package.
Details: Schumer said the budget plan will cover all of the major Biden administration proposals on human infrastructure, including the president's families, climate and housing programs. He added that the plan will also include "a robust expansion of Medicare, including … money for dental, vision and hearing." While negotiators are still finalizing details, the proposal is expected to fully offset with new revenues, among other pay-fors.
How to pay for the package remains a key sticking point in passing the bill.
Between the lines: Democrats have their work cut out for them in order to pass this bill. Democratic leaders will need to get all 50 Senate Democrats on board — a huge feat in the current makeup of the party. The timing comes as several key moderate Democrats are simultaneously working on a $1 trillion bipartisan package on "hard" infrastructure.
State of play: Schumer has been clear for weeks that he wants the Senate to consider this package on a "dual track" with the bipartisan proposal — but time is running out if they want to meet their self-imposed deadline of getting this done by August recess.
Volkonski wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 6:11 pm
Gohmert is an idiot. That is not how modern solar farms work or even the solar farms I worked on the design of in the late '70s and early '80s
Without listening, could he be talking about molten salt solar concentrators? They use mirrors to focus sunlight on a column of salt atop a pillar in the center. The molten salt can then be used to create steam to power a steam turbine. A single CSP can account for 6,000 bird kills per year.
Volkonski wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 6:11 pm
Gohmert is an idiot. That is not how modern solar farms work or even the solar farms I worked on the design of in the late '70s and early '80s
Without listening, could he be talking about molten salt solar concentrators? They use mirrors to focus sunlight on a column of salt atop a pillar in the center. The molten salt can then be used to create steam to power a steam turbine. A single CSP can account for 6,000 bird kills per year.
He is talking about some sort of heliostat system whether salt or liquid sodium or direct to steam.
Bird kills at the Ivanpah Solar Thermal Power Plant in California have been greatly reduced by reprogramming the heliostats to concentrate less energy in a given volume.
Gohmert should pay attention to the wildlife killed by fossil fuel operations.
I had Thom Hartmann on today, but I wasn't listening closely. Someone else suggested that they trim this back to $1.7 trillion (?) until 2024. Smaller number; if Dems lose in 2024, it will be up to the republicans to kill a popular program. I guess the thinking was something like what happened with Obamacare. Sorry I can't give anymore details.
She's bad. Did you she what she pulled when the press tried to get her position out of her yesterday?
Q: What do you say to progressives who are frustrated they don’t know where you are?
SINEMA: “I’m in the Senate.”
Q: There are progressives in the Senate that are also frustrated they don’t know where you are either.
SINEMA: “I’m clearly right in front of the elevator.”
While she was in fact in front of an elevator, her elevator clearly does not go all the way to the top. She seems to a) think she's WAY cooler than she really is, and b) think that anyone gives a crap about her cutesy sidesteps! Take a position! Defend it! Listen to others! Compromise! Whatever! Stop standing in front of the damn elevator already!
U.S. President Joe Biden's domestic agenda suffered a significant setback on Monday when moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin announced he would not yet support a $1.75 trillion framework unveiled late last week.
"I won't support a multi-trillion bill without greater clarity," Manchin, a holdout who has often served as a critical roadblock to Biden's agenda, told reporters.
He portrayed the bill as being filled with "shell games" and "budget gimmicks" that would end up costing far more than its $1.75 trillion price tag.
Instead, Manchin demanded immediate action in the U.S. House of Representatives on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill already approved by the Senate.
Manchin is pushing a work requirement...for family leave. You know, FROM YOUR JOB. Which you would need to have to get paid leave. He's such an incredible tool it's a wonder he can tie his shoes in the morning.
But don't take my word for it,
WaPo wrote:At times, the senator from West Virginia said a paid-leave program could invite fraud, likening it to those who tried to collect unemployment even when they were not eligible. In some conversations with lawmakers and advocates, he asked about work requirements, even though employment is a condition for one to take leave in the first place, some of the people said.
raison de arizona wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:06 pm
Manchin is pushing a work requirement...for family leave. You know, FROM YOUR JOB. Which you would need to have to get paid leave. He's such an incredible tool it's a wonder he can tie his shoes in the morning.
Not surprising. His primary backers are in industries that depend on cheap labor and people not having better options. Prosperity is not to his advantage.
raison de arizona wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:06 pm
Manchin is pushing a work requirement...for family leave. You know, FROM YOUR JOB. Which you would need to have to get paid leave. He's such an incredible tool it's a wonder he can tie his shoes in the morning.
Not surprising. His primary backers are in industries that depend on cheap labor and people not having better options. Prosperity is not to his advantage.
Prosperity for his constituents is not to his advantage. FIFY.
