Special Edition: August Policy Update
Senate Passes Infrastructure Bill and Budget Resolution, Teeing Up $3.5 Trillion Social Spending Package
Bipartisan Infrastructure Package
On August 10, the Senate passed a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure bill by a 69-30 vote, setting up passage in the House that could lead to a major bipartisan victory for the Biden-Harris administration. The legislation provides for $550 billion in new funding, including $65 billion to expand high-speed Internet access; $110 billion for roads, bridges and other projects; $25 billion for airports; and $66 billion for rail transportation. The legislation does not include any resources for the acquisition, construction, or renovation of child care facilities. However, it does allocate $55 billion for clean drinking water for households and child care centers by replacing the nation’s lead pipes and services lines.
Democrats' Social Spending Plan
The Senate then approved the Democrats’ budget resolution by a vote of 50-49, which lays the groundwork for a $3.5 trillion social spending package that would contain most of the Biden Administration’s economic agenda. The budget resolution provides each congressional committee with a total cap on spending authority, as well as instructions on the policies and programs that can be included in the ultimate text of the reconciliation measure. Funding for child care facilities was not explicitly mentioned in the budget agreement framework. This does not mean that facilities will not be a part of the package. However, as congress enters a challenging negotiations process, it does signal that stakeholders must continue to educate lawmakers about the need for dedicated federal resources for child care facilities with support from experienced intermediaries.
Next Steps
The House will cut their summer recess early and return to Washington on August 23 for consideration of the budget resolution, which is expected to pass. Once the budget resolution has passed the House, committees can then begin drafting reconciliation language in earnest. Senate Democrats have set themselves a September 15 deadline to turn the budget resolution into legislative text, but negotiating the $3.5 trillion social spending package and passing it in both chambers could take a significant amount of time. Further, Democratic leadership is navigating the unique nature of this two-track process in which the fate of both the bipartisan infrastructure deal and the social spending plan each rest on the other’s success.
Follow NCFN on Twitter (@ECEFacilities) and be prepared to elevate your voice about the importance of dedicated federal resources for child care facilities with support from experienced intermediaries.
Congress Expected to Delay Annual Appropriations Process
Fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations currently expire on September 30. It is unlikely that Congress will pass FY 2022 appropriations bills before this deadline given the immediate focus on completing the infrastructure and social spending packages. As a result, Congress will likely have to pass a stopgap funding measure (a continuing resolution) to avoid a shutdown and fund the federal government beyond September 30.