Democrats outline $3.5-trillion antipoverty, climate blueprint

Senate Democrats released the text of their budget resolution that sets up President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion economic agenda as well as a showdown with Republicans over the debt limit in September.

 

The budget blueprint is expected to be voted on this week in the Senate soon after final passage of Biden’s bipartisan $550 billion infrastructure package. It allows Democrats to bypass Republicans to expand the social safety net and address climate change, paid for by raising taxes on the wealthy and corpor­ations.

 

The blueprint would be followed as soon as September with text implementing a broad array of new education, health and climate programs as well as an extension of tax cuts for the middle class. All 50 senators who caucus with Democrats will have to unite behind it for it to prevail.

 

“By making education, health care, child care, and housing more affordable, we can give tens of millions of families a leg up,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a letter to Senate Democrats on the budget.

 

“This legislation will provide the largest tax cut for American families in a generation, while making the wealthy pay their fair share.” Democrats opted not to include an increase in the federal debt limit, which will have to be passed soon after Congress returns to work next month, along with a stop-gap spending bill to keep the government open after the end of the fiscal year on September 30.