Biden’s $1T infrastructure plan receives backing of Senate
Washington, Jul 28 (EFE).- United States President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan on Wednesday received bipartisan support in the Senate, which voted in favor of the initiative after weeks of tug of war between Democrats and Republicans.
The result shows the will of the two parties to approve one of Biden’s key agenda items, which seeks to invest approximately $1 trillion over eight years in the reconstruction of bridges, railroads, ports and airports in the country, among other things.
“This deal signals to the world that our democracy can function, deliver, and do big things,” Biden said after the vote.
The president’s bill passed with 67 votes in favor and 32 against, which means that the debate will now focus on the content of the initiative.
It took several Republican senators to vote in favor of the bill because Democrats have a narrow majority of 50 seats, not enough to pass the measure alone. In most cases, 60 votes are needed.
On Wednesday morning the Republicans announced that they had reached an agreement with the Democrats and the White House to unlock the infrastructure plan.
Just a week ago, Senate Republicans unanimously blocked the plan and did not agree to debate it during a key vote.
The bill includes $550 billion in new spending for public works projects.
The goal of Biden’s plan is to modernize what he has called “physical infrastructure” – roads, bridges, railways, power grids, ports and airports, and public transport, among other things.
Outside the pact is the so-called “human infrastructure” agenda, which is necessary, for example, to reopen the child education centers closed during the pandemic, as well as to combat poverty, the climate crisis and expand Medicare, a health coverage program for people over 65 years of age.
Those points have been included in a $3.5 trillion social spending package that Democrats want to push through. EFE
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