Democrats agree to $3.5 trillion spending resolution

The plan still needs buy-in from skeptical moderates to gain at least 50 votes to pass the Senate, but Democrats said they hope to receive bipartisan support. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced the resolution on Tuesday night along with Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. They hope to push the resolution through the Senate and House before the August recess.

What would the resolution do? It would serve as a blueprint for spending $3.5 trillion over the next decade—separate from the $600 billion infrastructure bill—on President Joe Biden’s top priorities such as climate change, healthcare, and expanding the child tax credit. It includes a Medicare expansion for older Americans to cover hearing, dental, and vision services. Some moderates and Republicans are concerned that instead of boosting the economy, such large spending will further harm pandemic recovery efforts.

Dig deeper: Read Harvest Prude’s report on lawmakers’ reactions to pandemic stimulus packages.