Democrats Unveil $3.5 Trillion Budget Resolution, Setting Up Another Partisan Fight

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer released Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget resolution Monday, the first step in their effort to adopt sweeping measures addressing climate change, health care and immigration and more.

The budget, spearheaded by Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, comes hours after the bipartisan infrastructure bill beat a Senate filibuster and appeared set to pass as soon as Monday. Along with the reconciliation package’s text, Schumer also released committee-specific instructions for crafting its different provisions.

While the infrastructure bill beat a filibuster with the help of 18 Republicans, the reconciliation plan faces unanimous GOP opposition. Budget rules, however, allow for it to be passed with a simple majority, meaning that Democrats can push it through on party-line votes as long as their caucus stays united.

The plan points to Sept. 15 as when committees should aim to finalize their respective sections.

The resolution, however, omits language addressing a debt ceiling raise, setting up an ugly partisan fight. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that no Republicans will vote to raise it, meaning that if the provision is not included in the reconciliation plan it could fall to a GOP filibuster.