Bill includes funding for health, education, and family support.
The Senate budget resolution providing for a $3.5 trillion spending package was approved early Wednesday morning. The social policy bill was designed to be passed through the Senate budget reconciliation process to avoid the 60-vote filibuster hurdle. The 50-49 vote marked the beginning of deliberations to negotiate and draft the final bill for President Biden’s signature.
The budget will expand Medicare coverage to include dental, vision, and hearing benefits, extends child tax credit increases past its 2022 expiration date, and includes funding to fight climate change. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a co-author of the bill, said that the bill would also assure that special interests would “fair share of taxes so that we can create millions of good-paying jobs for working families, so we can protect our children, protect the elderly, and address the threat of climate change.”
Senators will now be leaving town for their August recess, but Majority Leader Schumer has called for them to return by August 22 to work on the final draft of the bill which he wants in hand by September 15.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For members of Congress who will craft the final version of the massive spending package.
- For both houses of Congress to steward the nation’s tax revenue well.
- That the president and his administration would work with Congress to pass laws in the best interest of the country.
Sources: Washington Examiner, The Hill, NY Times
