Summer Time and Big Dreams: Legislation that Could Define a Generation

And finally, after all the work and all the action. Congress is finally on recess. With both chambers packing up and being out. The congressional recess has begun. However, as we head into fall, this will be the most significant fall we’ve had in a long time. The House is coming back on August 23. First up on their docket will be waiting and holding the membership together on the infrastructure bill. Though the Senate passed the bill, they need to keep things together to get the reconciliation bil which progressive had said they need to vote for the infrastructure bill as leverage to get the bill through the Sneate. House moderates want to take up the bill immediately to get this long sought after goal passed through the chamber. Speaker Pelosi has promised that she will not start the bill until she receives the reconciliation bill.

 The  reconciliation bill contains the bulk of the Biden agenda. Funding critical human infrastructure. Including free community college, childcare for pre-K, paid family leave, provisions to extend more healthcare access and stabilize the healthcare market, provisions to lower the cost of prescription drugs during negotiations by the federal government, infrastructure support for green technologies and climate change, extending the child tax credit beyond this year. As well as several other provisions that will be flushed out over the coming months. In total, the bill is authorized to spend up to $3.5 trillion over a ten-year period. This is an increase in government spending of about 8%. But will have transformative effects on the lives of individuals, genuinely pumping money and key support into the middle and lower class parts of a tax bracket. Here’s a quick overview of what else is in the top lines you want to read and more in-depth: What's in the Senate reconciliation package.

This particular piece of legislation, if it can get a cross the hurdles in front of it, will be one of the most significant investments of government funding for critical infrastructure and human support and truly transform our society. It’s going to be a big freaking deal. And they’re going to try to do most of this one; both chambers are back in September.