Senate debates infrastructure bill

The 2,700-page Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the result of months of bipartisan negotiations. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., kept the Senate in a rare weekend session to finish the text of the nearly $1 trillion bill so it could move to debate on Monday. The bill includes $550 billion in new spending on bridges, roads, waterworks, energy, and broadband over the next five years.

What happens next? Schumer wants to pass the bill before the chamber is scheduled to adjourn for recess on Aug. 9. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., warned Democrats about pushing an “artificial timetable.” He did not say whether he would vote for the bill. Other Republican senators said they do not want to rush the evaluation process. The bill will need 60 yesses to conclude debate and move to a final vote in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and the GOP. Seventeen Republicans voted to bring up the bill for debate.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Stew on how lawmakers plan on funding the new spending.