8.2.21 Advocacy Alert: Senate Finalizes Bipartisan Infrastructure Details
Blog Categories
August 2, 2021
On Sunday, senators released the text of their bipartisan infrastructure bill.
With the 2,700-page text released, all 50 Democratic senators and 18 Republican senators voted to take up debate on the bill, indicating strong bipartisan support for the measure.
In total, this bill spends $1.2 trillion, including $550 billion in new spending. It provides substantial funding for roads, bridges, rail, public transit, ports, airports, and broadband. The bill uses numerous revenue tools, such as re-appropriating unused COVID relief funds, to finance it without raising taxes.
The Senate is currently debating the bill and possible amendments, and Majority Leader Schumer expects a final vote in the coming days.
Congressional Democrats are proceeding with their two-track approach (further explained here). The bipartisan bill released Sunday will address physical infrastructure; Democrats are also pushing for a second “human infrastructure” package.
Because of this approach, we are still far from a final deal. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has repeatedly maintained that she will not bring the bipartisan physical infrastructure bill to a vote in the House until the Senate also passes the “human infrastructure” bill, a $3.5 trillion package of social spending that does not have the same bipartisan support.
Key Democratic senators, such as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), have been hesitant to support the "human infrastructure" bill. Given its size, the human infrastructure bill is expected to be financed by tax increases.
The BNP will share updates as Congressional negotiations continue.
To contact your Congressional representatives about the need to pass an infrastructure package, use our one-click tool here.
Related Posts
Empire Center: Single Payer “Sticker Shock”
A new report from the Empire Center for Public Policy details how expensive a single payer healthcare system would be in New York. The full report is available here.
Workforce Policy Update March 2022
The BNP works closely with government leaders to keep them informed of employer challenges and to advocate for policy that would ease the workforce crisis. The BNP supports legislation that expands access to education and training, makes quality childcare more accessible, removes barriers to workforce participation, and reforms our immigration system to meet our region’s workforce needs.
What is Carbon Pricing?
In the New York State Climate Action Council’s Draft Scoping Plan, the Council recommends implementing some form of carbon pricing to help the state combat climate change. So, what is carbon pricing, and how would it impact New York?
2.10.22 COVID Bulletin: BNP Gets Answers on Masking and HERO Act
Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced she would repeal the state’s mask mandate, effective today. However, her announcement did not proactively address how the repeal coincided with the NY HERO Act, which would have required employees in most workplaces to continue masking.