Following lengthy negotiations between a small faction of moderate Democrats and House leadership, the House voted on August 24 to move forward on infrastructure. The vote accomplished two important things as it: set a deadline for voting on the bipartisan infrastructure package that has already passed in the Senate; and adopted the $3.5 trillion budget resolution that allows the reconciliation process to begin.
Passing the budget resolution allows committees in the House and the Senate to begin drafting legislation that would enact a broad range of policies from the President’s “Build Back Better” initiative. This is the more partisan “infrastructure” package that will include spending on education and healthcare, in addition to more traditional infrastructure initiatives. Progressives in the House have made it very clear that they will not vote for the smaller, bipartisan infrastructure bill until they are satisfied with the larger reconciliation bill. The reconciliation package is where it is expected that there will be more controversial items, like a potential methane emissions fee and a potential rebate program to promote electrification.
In order to get her moderate members to vote for the budget resolution and allow the reconciliation process to begin, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) committed to holding a vote on the smaller, bipartisan package by September 27. That is the legislation that includes funding for municipal and community-owned utilities for pipeline replacement.
There are many moving pieces here, but it is expected that committees will begin producing legislative text for the reconciliation package in early September. Committees have been directed to finish drafting by September 15. Democrats in the House and Senate will have to agree on a version that satisfies both moderates and progressives in both Chambers in order to be successful.
APGA will continue to monitor this process and advocate for provisions that benefit members.
For questions about this article, please contact Emily Wong of APGA staff by phone at 202-470-4262 or by email at
ewong@apga.org.