UW-Stevens Point professor details infrastructure bill negotiations
Congress is deciding on two bills
STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) - Congress and the Biden Administration are negotiating the future of two bills. One is an infrastructure bill and the other is a $3.5 trillion dollar reconciliation package that would overhaul the federal government.
The infrastructure bill includes $500 billion in investment into America’s infrastructure over five years. The bill focuses on highways, bridges, and roadways.
“A lot of bridges are in bad shape and highways, but that’s the smaller bill in terms of the amount of money,” said Ed Miller, UW Stevens Point professor.
Democrats also want to pass a $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill that would remake a lot of the country’s safety net system. The bill would also raise taxes on the wealthy.
“And that bill deals with a lot of items such as preschool education, free community college, and expanding Medicare to cover various items such as dental,” said Miller.
Democrats say their bill will lower childcare costs, student debt, and health care costs for families.
The reconciliation requires all democrats to vote for the bill, but not all of them want to vote for it. There are two democrats who are against the bill.
Negotiations between the white house and democrats are still ongoing. President Joe Biden canceled a trip to Chicago Wednesday to meet with his own party to reach a deal.
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