Democrats hopeful of a Tuesday House budget vote

The Democratic Party hopes to get the US House of Representatives to vote on the two pillars of President Joe Biden‘s domestic agenda as soon as Tuesday as it mounted its latest push to get the long-delayed legislation through Congress.

Whether the timeline could be achieved is still unclear.

The Democratic leadership would like a final House-Senate compromise on Biden’s now $1.75 trillion, 10-year social and environment plan to be written by Sunday, the Associated Press reported quoting Party sources.

According to the report, talks among White House, House, and Senate officials were being held over the weekend. The White House unveiled an outline of the $1.75 trillion measure on Thursday that won positive reviews from many rank-and-file lawmakers, pending talks over final details.

Its initiatives include money for free preschool, tax credits to spur movement toward cleaner fuels and electrified vehicles, subsidies for child care and health coverage, and more funding for housing and at-home care for the elderly. Most of its costs would be covered by higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations and bolstering the IRS’s budget for pursuing higher-income tax scofflaws.

An accord could clear the way for congressional approval of that bill and a separate $1 trillion measure funding roads, rail, and other infrastructure projects.

For an agreement between the two chambers to be viable in the Senate, it would need the backing of Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. On the other hand, House progressives who have been at odds over the party’s spending and tax priorities with the two centrists would need to be convinced about the backing.

Manchin and Sinema forced Biden to cut down the price tag of his earlier plan for a $3.5 trillion social and environmental plan. Democrats will need unanimous support in the 50-50 Senate to pass the legislation, which is opposed by all Republicans, and will be able to lose no more than three more Democratic votes in the House.

The Senate’s nonpartisan parliamentarian, who enforces that chamber’s strict rules, also might decide that some provisions in the social and environment bill violate procedures and should be removed. Elizabeth MacDonough has already ruled against including two earlier Democratic proposals assisting immigrants.

(With AP inputs)