Democrats win crucial tool to implement Biden plans, including infrastructure
(WASHINGTON, DC) NEWS: A senior Senate official ruled on Monday that Democrats could use the fast-track budget reconciliation process for the second time this exercise, potentially giving them greater power to advance President Biden’s agenda, including his plan to infrastructure, on the Republican opposition.
The parliamentarian’s decision means Democrats can essentially reopen the budget plan they passed in February and add guidelines to enact the infrastructure package or other initiatives, protecting them from a filibuster that requires 60 votes. to be overcome.
It came as Democratic leaders considered using their slim majority in the House and Senate to pass Mr Biden’s infrastructure proposals, including a massive public works plan he released last week and a second initiative to be published in the coming months to address economic inequalities, offer paid leave to workers and support childcare.
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But the decision has potential significance beyond those plans, and even the current Congress. The guidelines could significantly weaken the filibuster by allowing the majority party to use budget reconciliation – a powerful tool that allows tax and spending measures to pass a majority vote – multiple times in a single fiscal year. It would dilute the power of the minority to block or block such legislation in the Senate, the ruling party’s latest attempt to reduce the obscure rules of filibuster.
It was not clear how the Democrats would use their newfound power, or for what. But the preliminary advice from MP Elizabeth MacDonough very likely gives them additional opportunities to push items on Mr. Biden’s agenda in the Senate from 50 to 50 without breaking down the filibuster or watering down their proposals for win at least 10 Republican votes. Democrats had previously used budget reconciliation to squeeze Mr. Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion stimulus last month without any Republican votes. But with some Democrats reluctant to dismantle the filibuster, the rest of Mr. Biden’s agenda risks stalling in the face of Republican objections.
Seeking alternative paths, Senator Chuck Schumer, New York Democrat and majority leader, argued that the rules allowed the Senate to revisit the budget plan that allowed for the pandemic contingency plan to be passed and take at least one more crack when reconciling before fiscal year end September 30.
Since there was no precedent for doing so, he sought advice from Ms MacDonough, a non-partisan public servant who interprets Senate rules. Monday, she blessed the maneuver, according to Justin Goodman, a spokesperson for Mr Schumer, who said that “some parameters have yet to be defined”.
