Major Infrastructure Bill Passes House, Paving the Way for Democratic Economic Plans
In a crucial step towards enacting the Democratic Party’s economic plans, the House of Representatives has passed a significant bipartisan infrastructure bill. The legislation, valued at over $1 trillion, will now be sent to President Joe Biden’s desk for his approval. The Senate had previously approved the bill in August, marking a significant achievement for the unified Democratic government since the passage of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package earlier this year.
The bill focuses on revamping transportation, utilities, and broadband infrastructure, addressing the urgent need for upgrades amidst increasing pressure from extreme weather events. Additionally, the White House views the bill’s passage as a means to alleviate supply-chain obstacles and lower prices for American consumers by facilitating the movement of goods.
Friday’s vote, with a 228-206 count, saw thirteen Republicans supporting the bill, while six Democrats voted against it. President Biden is expected to sign the bill in the coming days, highlighting its significance in boosting job creation, tackling the climate crisis, and positioning the United States for economic success in the 21st century.
However, the road to passing this legislation was not without its challenges. The day leading up to the vote witnessed intense negotiations and wrangling between progressive and centrist Democrats, who hold differing visions of the government’s role in the economy. The aim was to pass both the infrastructure bill and the larger party package, a social safety net and climate plan worth $1.75 trillion. However, a group of centrists demanded a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate of the social spending plan’s budgetary impact, causing a delay in its approval.
After hours of discussions and a call from President Biden urging lawmakers to support the infrastructure bill, a compromise was reached between progressives and centrists. The progressive wing secured assurances that the centrists would support the larger package, known as the Build Back Better legislation, in exchange for their backing of the infrastructure plan. The social and climate plan, crucial to the Democratic agenda, cleared an important procedural hurdle early on Saturday morning.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair, Representative Pramila Jayapal, highlighted the agreement, stating that the infrastructure plan would be backed in exchange for a commitment to take up the safety-net bill no later than the week of November 15. Similarly, a group of five centrists released a statement indicating their support for the Build Back Better legislation pending a favorable CBO score addressing their concerns about long-term budget deficits.
President Biden, in his statement following the House vote, emphasized the job-creation potential of the legislation, its role in addressing the climate crisis, and its significance for the economic competition of the future. He also acknowledged that the procedural vote on the second Democratic bill would enable the passage of his Build Back Better Act in the House of Representatives during the week of November 15.
Given the House’s absence from Washington next week, it may take several days or even weeks for the CBO to prepare an assessment of the legislation. Nonetheless, with the passage of the infrastructure bill, the Democratic Party has achieved a major milestone in its economic plans, setting the stage for future developments in the weeks and months ahead.
