Democrats have one more simple majority bill chance this legislative session in the Senate….
While the spotlight has been on Infrastructure?
The Independent Senator from Vermont who chairs the Senate Budget Committee is quietly working to make sure some his progressive ‘wants’ get included in last US Senate simple majority bill….
President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Schumer are well aware of Sanders actions….
Biden wants to do the Senate negotiating thing. on infrastructure which will need 60 US Senate votes…
Sanders is working to cram as much as he can in a reconsolidating bill that will just need 50 votes to pass….
Pragmatism, eh?….
From the beginning, Sanders has said Democrats should forgo rounds of negotiations with Republicans on a smaller, traditional infrastructure bill that addresses roads, bridges, and broadband. Instead, he’s argued that Democrats should immediately push a larger bill along party lines.
The White House has been hesitant to abandon talks with centrist Democrats and Republicans, leading a growing number of progressive lawmakers in both chambers to decry the slow pace of negotiations. This past week a handful of Democratic senators shot off warning tweets at the White House, threatening to withhold support for infrastructure bills without climate change provisionsincluded in the one expected to pass with only Democrats. But Sanders didn’t join the chorus.
“He’s focused on building momentum for a reconciliation bill that will be the most consequential legislation for working people enacted since the 1930s,” said a Sanders aide.
Sanders isn’t as concerned as other progressives are about their priorities being left out of the overall infrastructure package because the budget process is only just beginning, the aide added. And Sanders believes strong climate provisions — one of his biggest priorities — will be in a reconciliation bill.
At the same time, Sanders, chair of the Senate Budget Committee, has communicated to the White House that he thinks the bipartisan talks should wrap up, a source familiar with his interactions with the White House said.
The White House is in regular touch with both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sanders about infrastructure priorities, according to a White House official, who described its relationship with Sanders as strong. A Sanders aide also confirmed that the senator is in close touch with the White House and Schumer….