The U.S. Senate pushed ahead Monday with consideration of a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, with Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer promising to work with opposition Republican lawmakers to hold key votes on specific construction projects across the country.
“Let’s start voting on amendments,” Schumer told the Senate as it started business for the week. He said a final vote on the legislation could be held “in a matter of days” but vowed to keep the chamber in session until work on the measure is completed — before recessing for the Senate’s annual August vacation. “The longer it takes to finish the bill, the longer we will be here.”
The package, one of President Joe Biden’s top legislative priorities, would provide tens of billions of dollars to repair the country’s deteriorating roads and bridges, advance broadband internet service throughout the country, expand rail and transit services and replace lead-piped drinking water systems.