$1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill was crawling through the Senate on Wednesday as Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged to delay the chamber’s August break until it passes.
The Senate will resume votes on “multiple” amendments to the plan on Wednesday afternoon, the New York Democrat said. Schumer aims to approve the final legislation this week, before he starts the process for Democrats to pass a separate $3.5 trillion investment in social programs and climate measures.
The Senate is scheduled to leave for its month long recess on Monday. The chamber appears unlikely to approve both the infrastructure plan and a budget resolution — which allows them to approve their spending plan without Republican votes — before then.
Schumer on Tuesday said “the Senate is going to stay here until we finish our work” on both measures. Republicans have called for a slower process of debating and changing the bill: Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would have blocked a potential Schumer attempt to end debate on the legislation if he tried to take the step Tuesday.
