Senate Dems push through framework for their $3.5TRILLION budget that includes amnesty for millions of migrants, paid family leave and free pre-K in 50-49 vote after 15-hour debate session

  • The bill also includes money to fund Biden's AOC-backed Climate Corps
  • It passed 50-49 on a party line vote shortly before 4 a.m. Wednesday
  • Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of letting Bernie Sanders dictate policy
  • Passage came hours after the Senate approved a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure compromise, scoring two wins for Biden within 24 hours
  • House Speaker Pelosi said the House will vote on the framework after recess 

Senate Democrats passed the framework of a $3.5trillion infrastructure bill early Wednesday morning, scoring a second win for Joe Biden within hours of passing a bipartisan $1.2trillion infrastructure agreement he also championed. 

The vote fell 50-49 across party lines, meaning it got the approval of moderate Democrat Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin who were hesitant to express public support for the legislation.  

Containing more than just funds for roads and bridges, the bill is a patchwork of wish list items expressed by Democrats in the past that would enact Biden's vision for reshaping federal priorities.

Notably it includes funds for universal pre-kindergarten, tuition-free community college, paid family leave and clean energy source development. 

It also allocates billions toward helping immigrant workers onto a pathway to citizenship. 

Senate Majority Leader Schumer told progressives who unhappily agreed to the $1.2trillion compromise that a 'second track' would be more in line with what they want
Senate Minority Leader McConnell accused Democrats of letting Bernie Sanders dictate their policy with the $3.5trillion bill

The Senate passed the fiscal blueprint of Biden's $3.5trillion infrastructure wish list around 4 a.m. on Wednesday (pictured: Senate Leaders Schumer and McConnell at the Capitol overnight during the 15-hour ordeal)

The legislation's passage is the second big win for Joe Biden in under 24 hours, after Democrats and Republicans passed a smaller compromise bill totaling $1.2trillion

The legislation's passage is the second big win for Joe Biden in under 24 hours, after Democrats and Republicans passed a smaller compromise bill totaling $1.2trillion

Democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders lauded the pricey bill.

'It will also, I hope, restore the faith of the American people in the belief that we can have a government that works for all of us, and not just the few,' he said. 

Republicans accused Democrats of letting Sanders dictate their policy.

If Biden and Senate Democrats want to 'outsource domestic policy to Chairman Sanders' with a 'historically reckless taxing and spending spree,' Republicans lack the votes to stop them, conceded Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. 'But we will debate. We will vote.' 

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, once a far-left outsider, lauded the $3.5trillion legislation (pictured arriving on August 10 as the Senate moves from passage of the infrastructure bill to focus on the massive budget resolution)

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, once a far-left outsider, lauded the $3.5trillion legislation (pictured arriving on August 10 as the Senate moves from passage of the infrastructure bill to focus on the massive budget resolution)

An avalanche of Republican amendments intended to pry control of Congress away from Democrats came down during the 15-hour voting session.

T he Senate held more than 40 roll calls by the time it approved the measure at around 4 a.m. ET, more than 14 hours after the procedural wretchedness began.

Democrats' budget framework allocates billions of dollars to Senate committees to begin drafting proposals for final bill 

Agriculture: $135 billion for conservation, drought, and forestry programs to reduce carbon emissions and prevent wildfires; clean energy investments; agricultural climate research; Civilian Climate Corps funding, child nutrition and debt relief

Banking: $332 billion for housing programs, including down payment and rental assistance and community investment

Commerce: $83 billion for technology and transportation; coastal resilience and oceans; funding for the National Science Foundation. 

Energy: $198 billion for clean electricity; rebates to weatherize and electrify homes; financing for domestic manufacturing of clean energy and auto supply chain technologies; federal procurement of energy efficient materials; climate research 

Environment and Public Works: $67 billion for low-income solar and climate-friendly technologies; clean water affordability and access; EPA climate and research programs; federal investments in energy efficient buildings and green materials

Finance: At least $1 billion in deficit reduction. 'This will provide the Committee with flexibility to make investment, revenue and offset decisions consistent with the policy recommendations,' the instructions state. Offsets to include: Corporate and international tax reform; taxing high-income individuals; IRS tax enforcement

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: $726 billion for universal pre-K for 3 and 4-year olds; child care; tuition-free community college; investments in HBCUs, MSIs, HSIs, TCUs, and ANNHIs; increase the maximum Pell grant award; School infrastructure, student success grants, and educator investments; Investments in primary care; pandemic preparedness

Homeland Security: $37 billion for electrifying the federal vehicle fleet; electrifying federal buildings; improving cybersecurity infrastructure; border management investments; investments in green materials and resilience

Judiciary: $107 billion for lawful permanent status for qualified immigrants and border security

Indian Affairs: $20.5 billion for native health, education, housing, energy and climate programs and facilities 

Small Business: $25 billion for small business access to credit, investment, and markets

Veterans Affairs: $18 billion for upgrades to VA facilities

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Republicans crowed after Democrats opposed GOP amendments calling for the full-time reopening of pandemic-shuttered schools and boosting the Pentagon's budget and retaining limits on federal income tax deductions for state and local levies. 

They were also happy when Democrats showed support for Biden's now suspended ban on oil and gas leasing on federal lands, which Republicans said would prompt gasoline price increases.

GOP Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama proposed curbing federal funding for any municipalities that defund the police. 

Republicans have persistently accused Democrats of backing the idea, but their attempt to show it failed when the Senate voted 99-0 in favor of the measure.

Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey called Tuberville's amendment 'a gift' that would let Democrats 'put to bed this scurrilous accusation that somebody in this great esteemed body would want to defund the police.' 

He said he wanted to 'walk over there and hug my colleague,' and encouraged every Senator to show they want 'to fund the police, believes in God, country, and apple pie.'

Republicans claimed two narrow victories with potential implications for future votes, with Manchin joining them on nonbinding amendments taking on abortion and critical race theory. 

 House leaders announced their chamber will return from summer recess in two weeks to vote on the fiscal blueprint, with final congressional approval near certain.

Final approval would protect a subsequent bill actually enacting the outline´s detailed spending and tax changes from a Republican filibuster in the 50-50 Senate, delays that would otherwise kill it. 

If passed the bill would disburse the $3.5trillion over the next 10 years.  

Some friction between moderate Democrats and progressives is expected, while solid GOP opposition seems guaranteed.

The Senate turned to the budget hours after it approved a compromise $1.2trillion bundle of transportation, water, broadband and other infrastructure projects. That measure, passed 69-30 with McConnell among the 19 Republicans backing it, also needs House approval.  

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer assured progressives who worry the compromise bill doesn't go far enough that Congress will pursue sweeping initiatives going beyond that infrastructure package.

'To my colleagues who are concerned that this does not do enough on climate, for families, and making corporations and the rich pay their fair share: We are moving on to a second track, which will make a generational transformation in these areas,' Schumer said.

Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, missed the budget votes to be with his ailing wife.

 The budget blueprint also outlines paid family leave, and a Civilian Climate Corps whose workers would tackle environmental projects. 

Millions of immigrants in the US illegally would have a new chance for citizenship, and there would be financial incentives for states to adopt more labor-friendly laws.

The $3.5trillion bill includes a pathway to citizenship for millions of migrant workers (pictured: migrants apprehended by Border Patrol near El Paso in March 2021)

The $3.5trillion bill includes a pathway to citizenship for millions of migrant workers (pictured: migrants apprehended by Border Patrol near El Paso in March 2021)

Democrats can use Senate rules to pass their budget without Republican support, but will have to balance progressive and moderate demands to hold together their wafer-thin majority

Democrats can use Senate rules to pass their budget without Republican support, but will have to balance progressive and moderate demands to hold together their wafer-thin majority

Medicare would add dental, hearing and vision benefits, and tax credits and grants would prod utilities and industries to embrace clean energy. Child tax credits beefed up for the pandemic would be extended, along with federal subsidies for health insurance.

Besides higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations, Democrats envision savings by letting the government negotiate prices for pharmaceuticals it buys, slapping taxes on imported carbon fuels and strengthening IRS tax collections. Democrats have said their policies will be fully paid for, but they'll make no final decisions until this fall's follow-up bill.

Senate Democrats pass $3.5TRILLION budget framework that includes amnesty for migrants, free pre-K

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