Status of Budget Reconciliation and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package

September 23, 2021

The mantra these days for Democrats is “divided, we stall” as progressives and moderates in the House continue to disagree on the order of which to pass the bipartisan infrastructure package that has already passed the Senate and a larger reconciliation bill containing “human” infrastructure investments – including hundreds of billions for education and related programs.

After facing pressure from moderates, House leadership committed to bringing the infrastructure bill to the floor for a vote by Monday, September 27. However, progressives say they won’t vote for that bill unless they can also vote for the reconciliation bill, which will not be ready by Monday. In fact, a vote on the reconciliation bill is likely weeks away, as Democrats negotiate behind the scenes to possibly pare back the size of the House committee proposals to garner support from all the Senate Democrats, some of whom have balked at the $3.5 trillion price tag.