Washington: President Joe Biden outlined a long list of policy priorities in his speech to Congress – and some are more politically acceptable than others.
The two parties are working together in some areas, including police changes and the rise of hate crimes against Asian Americans. But Republicans are likely to block other Democratic initiatives on immigration and suffrage.
On some of Biden’s top priorities, Democrats may choose to find ways to wipe out Republicans completely. The president told lawmakers that “doing nothing is not an option” when it comes to his two massive infrastructure proposals, which would cost $ 4.1 billion.
A look at what is possible and what is unlikely when it comes to Congress: is it going alone?
Biden achieved an early victory in March when he signed the USD 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package in law. Democrats passed the bill on unanimous Republican opposition, using special budget rules that bypass the Senate filibuster.
While they may not use the tactics on every piece of legislation, Democrats can return to the same procedure for Biden’s two signature proposals – his $ 2.3 billion infrastructure plan, which will rebuild roads and bridges, increase broadband access and make other improvements; and its $ 1.8 billion family plan, which will expand preschool and college events, create a national family and medical leave program, distribute childcare subsidies, and make other similar investments.
Republicans proposed a much smaller $ 568 billion infrastructure package, and both sides were willing to negotiate. But their differences are huge – including how they would pay for the plans and whether they would raise taxes – and Democrats plan to give a big boost to infrastructure this year, with or without IDP support.
“We’ve talked about it long enough – Democrats and Republicans,” Biden said in his speech. “Let’s do it this year.” DOES IT GO WITH IT?
Democrats and Republicans did not have the habit of working together, as President Donald Trump’s term of office was mostly dominated by party divisions. But they have come a little closer to duality on some topics since Biden took office, including on police reform, arms control and efforts to reduce violence against women.
All of these bills are still heavy in the proportional 50-50 Senate. But negotiations are underway, and members of both parties have indicated they want legislation passed.
Both parties say they were encouraged last week by the Senate’s approval of a bill to combat the rise of hate crimes against Asians and Americans in the Pacific. The legislation was passed 94-1 after Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii worked with Republicans to reach a compromise. In his speech, Biden thanked the Senate and urged the House to do the same and send that legislation to my desk as soon as possible. Compromising with the other bills, such as policing, will not come so easily. South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott is negotiating with Democrats to change some of the country’s police laws following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year and the conviction this month of the officer who killed him. A Democratic bill passed by the House would allow police officers to be prosecuted, ban suffocations and create national databases on police misconduct. Scott’s GOP proposal does not go that far, but contains similar provisions.
Democrats have called for an end to negotiations on Floyd’s end of May, and Biden endorsed the timeline in Wednesday night’s speech. But Scott did not make a similar commitment.
Changes to gun laws – long one of the divisive issues in Congress – can be even more difficult, although there is public support for some measures. Democrats hope to expand background investigations, especially in the wake of several mass shootings in recent weeks. Many Republicans would also support an expansion of background checks, but would not go as far as passing Democratic legislation in the House in March. The dual Senate talks have so far not yielded a compromise.
Senators in both parties have also expressed interest in agreeing on a bill passed by the House aimed at reducing domestic and sexual violence against women, but they do not agree with the provisions in the legislation that among other things, can not keep guns out of the hands of abusers. matter.
Biden introduced the original Violence Against Women Act in June 1990 when he served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the legislation has since been passed four times. “It is estimated that more than 50 women are shot dead by an intimate partner in America each month,” Biden said Wednesday. “Pass it and save lives.” GOING NOWHERE?
The list of long accounts on Biden’s agenda is much longer.
At the top of the list is the Democrats’ wide-ranging effort to review U.S. elections, legislation that would create nationwide automatic voter registration, promote early voting, require more publicity from political donors and, among other things, the partisan drive of districts the Congress will limit. Senate Republicans are unanimously opposed to the measure, which has already passed the House, arguing that it is designed to help Democrats win elections.
Source: Telangana Today