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The Democratic-dominated House voted on Tuesday to clear the way for passage of President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion spending plan.
The progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party reached an agreement to advance the legislation after 24 hours of tension that paralyzed the process.
Thus, this Tuesday, the 220 Democrats voted as a bloc in favor of advancing the legislation, while the 212 Republicans positioned themselves against it.
Biden has called numerous plans that involve high government spending and more borrowing from state coffers “human infrastructure”.
The progressives plan to approve this budget initiative with the seats they have in the Senate -50-, through a mechanism called reconciliation, which does not require the support of the Republicans.
In parallel, Democrats and Republicans have given their support to a $1.2 trillion plan to rebuild the country’s “physical infrastructure”, i.e. bridges, ports and roads.
That $1.2 trillion bill passed the Senate in early August and must now be voted on by the House of Representatives.
It was on that point that disagreements arose in the last 24 hours between progressives and moderates in the Democratic Party, as the moderates wanted the House to pass that $1.2 trillion legislation first, and then the spending package.
Progressives, however, wanted to prioritize the “human infrastructure” plan.
To reach an agreement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, promised that the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package would be passed by September 27.
In statements to the press at the White House, Biden considered today’s vote in the Lower House as a “significant step” to make “the historic investment” with which he hopes to transform the country.
