Twenty-one of the 100 senators, including 11 Republicans, nine
Democrats and one independent who caucuses with Democrats have
joined on the bipartisan proposal, building out a framework that
sources said would cost $1.2 trillion over eight years.
That falls short of Biden's current $1.7 trillion proposal on
infrastructure investment, which includes massive spending to
fight climate change and provide more care for children and the
elderly. Progressive Democrats in Congress said they may not
support a package that does not address those priorities.
Senator Bernie Sanders raised eyebrows on Thursday by saying he
is drafting an infrastructure package of up to $6 trillion,
beyond even Biden's initial ask. That measure was sure to be
rejected by Republicans and it was unclear how much support it
would gather among Democrats.
A draft proposal of the bipartisan deal being circulated among
members of the group includes $579 billion in new spending, to
be paid for in part by unspent COVID-19 relief funds,
public-private partnerships and an infrastructure financing
authority.
The biggest chunk of the money, $110 billion, would be spent on
roads, bridges and major projects, according to the draft.
Another $66 billion would be spent on passenger and freight rail
and $48.5 billion on public transit, according to the draft
proposal.
The bipartisan plan would be funded by a variety of
revenue-raisers. Some of them have been controversial, including
indexing the gas tax to inflation. Sources familiar with the
negotiations stressed that the document was a draft put together
by one member for consideration, and there have been no final
decisions.
Schumer said Democrats were working on two infrastructure
"tracks" - a bipartisan bill and a larger one that could be
passed with only Democratic votes using a process called
"reconciliation https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senates-reconciliation-process-its-not-way-it-sounds-2021-06-16."
"We're trying to get both of them done. We have to get both of
them done," Schumer said.
(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Dan Grebler)
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