Sanders and Biden meet as infrastructure bill rises to $3.5 trillion

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Senator Bernie Sanders, after a private meeting at the White House, said Monday that he and President Joe Biden are on the same page as Democrats craft a “transformational” infrastructure package unleashing more than $3.5 trillion in domestic investment on a par with the New Deal in the 1930s. .

Sanders, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, and his committee Democrats met privately at the Capitol for two hours late Monday with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DNY, and key White House advisers during a subsequent period of Biden’s top priority. Congress is racing to put a sweeping proposal to fund infrastructure, family assistance and other programs for an initial vote later this month.

Sanders, I-Vt. He said he had a “very good discussion” with Biden.

“He knows and I know we’re seeing an economy where the very rich are getting richer and working families are struggling,” Sanders told reporters.

Sanders said he and the president did not discuss a key number, but the Vermont senator mentioned his $6 trillion proposal that includes expanding Medicare for seniors. Later on the Capitol, he told reporters that the Democrats’ package would be greater than $3.5 trillion, an amount that was floated in line with Biden’s initial proposal.

“At the end of the day we are going to achieve something very important,” Sanders said.

After Democrats’ evening meeting on the Capitol, Sanders said lawmakers are still discussing overall spending and other numbers.

“What we’re trying to do is a multi-million dollar bill that will address the long-neglected problems of working families in this country” and the problem of climate change, he told reporters.

Other lawmakers said the senators would meet again on Tuesday.

Biden’s big infrastructure proposals are moving through Congress on different paths — each potentially complementing or undermining the other.

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A group of 10 bipartisan senators has unveiled a nearly $1 trillion package of traditional road and bridge infrastructure, broadband and some climate change investments in electric vehicles and resilience to harsh weather.

Senators in the bipartisan group are struggling to get their proposal into legislation but hope to have a bill ready as soon as this week. Disputes arise about how to pay for it.

“Payments are still high,” said Senator Mike Rounds, RS.D.

The rest of Biden’s ideas are bundled into a much broader multibillion-dollar package that Democrats can approve on their own under a special budget compromise process that allows 51 votes to pass in the Senate, rather than the typical 60-vote threshold. Need to beat the Senate blocker

Sanders, as chair of the Budget Committee, has been leading his colleagues in a series of private conversations. Sanders was once a challenger to Biden for the presidency, and he now holds an influential position in shaping the president’s top priority.

“My job is to do everything I can to see that the Senate introduces the strongest legislation possible to protect the needs of working families in this country,” Sanders said at the White House.

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Associated Press reporters Alan Fram and Kevin Fring in Washington contributed to this report.

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