The Senate took the next step on Friday to bring up a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal that will fulfill key priorities in President Joe Biden’s agenda.
Senators voted 66-28 on a motion to proceed, a vote that will open up the legislative package to potential changes through the amendment process. Sixteen Republican senators voted with Senate Democrats in favor.
It remains to be seen whether any amendments will be agreed to since they are expected to be subject to a 60-vote threshold. Bill text still has not yet been formally unveiled, and amendments are not expected to be considered until Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer offers up the finalized deal as a substitute amendment, which could happen at some point later Friday afternoon. The expectation is that there could be amendment votes over the weekend.
“Given the bipartisan nature of the bill, the Senate should be able to process this legislation rather quickly,” Schumer said Friday ahead of the vote. “We may need the weekend, we may vote on several amendments, but with the cooperation of our Republican colleagues I believe we can finish the bipartisan infrastructure bill in a matter of days.”
