Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced “an agreement on a framework” among the White House, House and Senate on how they plan to pay for the sweeping, $3.5 trillion social spending bill during a press conference with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Thursday.
The leaders did not lay out details on the “menu of options” in terms of pay-fors for the legislation, which is aimed at addressing an array of President Biden’s expensive priorities including climate change and the expansion of social programs.
“The White House, the House and the Senate have reached an agreement on a framework that will pay for any final negotiated agreement. So the revenue side of this, we have an agreement on,” Schumer (D-NY) said.
Pelosi (D-Calif.) referred to the deal as “a giant step forward” in Democrats’ negotiations as moderates and progressives feud over whether the massive reconciliation spending bill or $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill should come to the floor first.
When asked by a reporter to clarify what the framework involves, Pelosi responded: “That’s your problem, not mine.”
Democratic leaders have pushed for the two massive bills to be passed in conjunction with one another, but centrist Democrats have raised concerns about the massive price tag of the $3.5 trillion bill and the timeline, with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) calling for Congress to “hit the pause button” to allow more time to reflect on what should be included.
Numerous moderates told The Post they want more time to review the bill, which has not been fully finalized, before it comes to the floor and expressed reservations on certain provisions that they feel may be “gimmicky” and don’t do enough to provide long-term solutions.
The Senate-passed bipartisan bill is expected to come to the House floor Monday after moderates struck a deal with Democratic leadership to hold a vote by Sept. 27, in exchange for their support for the budget, allowing them to move forward with the reconciliation process.
Progressive members have threatened to tank the bipartisan bill unless the reconciliation bill passes both chambers first, accusing centrists of creating an “arbitrary deadline.”
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) said if House Democratic leaders don’t bring the bill to the floor by the promised deadline, she will not support a reconciliation package.