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News and updates

News and updates

Negotiations Still Continue on Infrastructure, Reconciliation Packages

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Even with the deadline to keep the government open past Thursday quickly approaching, furious negotiations are still taking place among Democrats over both the infrastructure and budget reconciliation packages.  Thursday is also the day when the House is scheduled to vote on the Senate-passed infrastructure bill.  Whether that deadline– set by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)– is met is becoming more uncertain.

Even as President Biden met with moderate Democrats Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) and Joe Manchin (WV) about their concerns about the $3.5-trillion reconciliation package, House progressives reiterated their opposition to voting for the infrastructure package this week without a guarantee that a reconciliation package would also move.  Among the concerns of the progressive group and their allies is that neither Senator has indicated how large a reconciliation package they would support, if at all.

Read more about the negotiations here and here.

 

Clocks Continues to Tick on Shutdown, Debt Ceiling

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As predicted, the Senate yesterday was not able to adopt the House-passed legislation that would keep the government funded past midnight Friday and raise the debt ceiling through mid-December 2022.  As promised, no Senate Republicans voted to move the measure forward for a vote.  While Senate Republicans have publicly supported keeping the government open and opposed a shutdown, they have also stated that they will not vote in favor of legislation that includes both a continuing resolution to fund the government and provisions to raise the debt ceiling.  With the Senate divided 50-50, Democrats will need to come up with a Plan B to address both a looming shutdown and a potentially catastrophic default.

In a related development, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated earlier today that the federal government may run out of ways to meet its obligations and may breach the debt ceiling on October 18.

Read more about the current situation here, here, and here.

House to Start Debate on Infrastructure Bill Today

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After nonstop negotiations with different factions of her own party late last week and through the weekend, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) scheduled the floor debate on the bipartisan infrastructure package f to start today.

The House leadership finds itself in a tough spot, as a group of Democratic progressives have insisted that they would not vote for the infrastructure legislation that was passed by the Senate on a bipartisan basis without a commitment to bring up a larger $3.5-trillion budget reconciliation package.  At the same time, a group of moderates have  balked at the size of the reconciliation package while supporting the infrastructure deal.  Progressives fear that moderates will walk away from the larger bill if they get to vote on the infrastructure package first.  Pelosi had earlier committed to bringing up the $1.5-trillion infrastructure bill for a floor vote today.  Vote to pass the bill, assuming there are enough votes, is currently scheduled for Thursday.

Read more about the situation here and here.

White House Releases PCAST Membership

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Earlier today, the White House announced the members of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).  PCAST is tasked with offering policy recommendations to the President in the areas of science, technology, and innovation.

The list of members and their backgrounds are available here.

House Passes CR But Debt Ceiling Remains Uncertain

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As expected, the House passed yesterday by a vote of 220 – 211 the continuing resolution package that would keep the government funded through December 3 while also lifting the debt ceiling through mid-December, 2022.  Like most of their Senate counterparts, House Republicans voiced strong opposition to the lifting of the debt ceiling and voted against the measure.

In the Senate, where there is a 50 – 50 split between the parties, it remains to be seen how Democrats will address the debt ceiling issue.

Read more about the situation here and here.