WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer sought to speed up consideration of a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package Monday, promising that Democrats would work with Republicans to put together amendments for consideration this week. GOP senators cautioned that they need time to digest the large bill.
Formally called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the proposal clocked in at some 2,700 pages after a hurry-up-and-wait rare weekend session. The final product, unveiled late Sunday, was intended to follow the broad outline a bipartisan group of senators had negotiated for weeks with the White House.
Schumer has said a final vote could be held "in a matter of days."
"Let's start voting on amendments," Schumer said as the Senate opened work on Monday.
The Senate approved the first two amendments to the bill late Monday.
Each was noncontroversial and received far more than the 60 votes necessary to be added to the legislation. Other amendment votes, particular on the issue of how to pay for the new spending, are expected to be more spirited affairs.
As the amendment process gets underway, senators are weighing how much to try to change the package and how hard to try, knowing it will be difficult to reach the 60-vote threshold to approve any substantial changes.
Some Republicans are wary of another large spending bill after a series of covid-19 relief measures have boosted the national debt.
"I've got real concerns with this bill," said Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.
The Senate's Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has sided with those voting to allow debate to proceed, but he has not signaled how he will ultimately vote.
McConnell described the bill Monday as a "good and important jumping off point" for a robust, bipartisan amendment process. He warned Democrats against setting "any artificial timetable."
"We shouldn't sacrifice adequate time on this bill merely because the Democratic leader would like to spend next week jamming a 100% partisan piece of legislation through the United States Senate," said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota.
A key part of President Joe Biden's agenda, the bipartisan bill is the first phase of the president's infrastructure plan. It calls for $550 billion in new spending over five years above projected federal levels on the nation's roads, bridges, waterworks, broadband and the electric grid.
