So, What’s The Plan With The Infrastructure Bills?

July 20, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 19: Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) (R) and Sen. John Thune (R-SD) (L) are surrounded by reporters outside the Senate Chambers on July 19, 2021 in Washington, DC. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D... WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 19: Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) (R) and Sen. John Thune (R-SD) (L) are surrounded by reporters outside the Senate Chambers on July 19, 2021 in Washington, DC. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is planning for a vote in the Senate later this week on the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, which is still being drafted. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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July 20, 2021

Today is, in theory, the second-to-last day before Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) deadlines for both the bipartisan infrastructure deal and the Democrats’ reconciliation package.

A lot of Hill coverage has focused on whether Schumer will punt that first deadline, or whether the bipartisan deal will simply collapse due to a lack of Republican support.

But regardless of what happens there, Democrats are close to ready to move forward with their reconciliation package, the more important, and much larger, of the two bills. So far, we’ve only gotten a topline figure and rudimentary outlines from Senate staff about what is in it.

We’ll be seeking today to get a better sense of what’s included, and what Democrats do and don’t believe can make it through the reconciliation process. We’ll also be looking for signs that Democrats are ready to add hard infrastructure into their reconciliation package if the bipartisan deal falls apart — a move Senate Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders previewed yesterday.

Follow along below.

More Less

Today is, in theory, the second-to-last day before Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) deadlines for both the bipartisan infrastructure deal and the Democrats’ reconciliation package.

A lot of Hill coverage has focused on whether Schumer will punt that first deadline, or whether the bipartisan deal will simply collapse due to a lack of Republican support.

But regardless of what happens there, Democrats are close to ready to move forward with their reconciliation package, the more important, and much larger, of the two bills. So far, we’ve only gotten a topline figure and rudimentary outlines from Senate staff about what is in it.

We’ll be seeking today to get a better sense of what’s included, and what Democrats do and don’t believe can make it through the reconciliation process. We’ll also be looking for signs that Democrats are ready to add hard infrastructure into their reconciliation package if the bipartisan deal falls apart — a move Senate Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders previewed yesterday.

Follow along below.

Notable Replies

  1. Darn that Lois Lerner, thinking that maybe organizations who’s stated purpose was to avoid being taxed might not be the best ones to be granted tax-exempt status.

    Also, fuck Grover Norquist into a shallow grave.

  2. Yes. It’s interesting, though, that I’ve not seen/heard much from him in quite a while. I know that in some conservative quarters, he’s suspect because of his wife’s Palestinian heritage. Or maybe it’s because the conservative movement now so fully embodies his ideas that he’s no longer really needed.

  3. Avatar for dont dont says:

    Can’t be said often enough.

    ETA. I think I got a better idea. How about he drowns in a bath tub?

  4. Front Page from Josh…an excerpt…

    [“It’s always important to remember that this is fundamentally a negotiation between and among Democrats . It’s all about getting to 50 votes, holding every member of the Senate caucus on board and avoiding any stray stragglers in the House. Republicans are more pieces on the chess board than anyone playing the game. The whole drama over recent months has been about Republicans trying to use delaying tactics and the opaque nature of the Senate to promote themselves from pieces on the board to players at the table and Democrats attempts to prevent that. So far they have avoided that and last week’s compromise agreement on a $3.5 trillion reconciliation framework was a key part of that. Keeping that on track is what this week is about.”]

    There is Back Room stuff that will not make it into this and, of course, the messaging task for us is going up against people who do–literally–Nothing.

    But Message

  5. That’d be some irony.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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