Senate Democrats on the Budget Committee announced late Tuesday they struck an agreement on a $3.5 trillion budget resolution that includes spending for President Joe Biden's sweeping social agenda -- and would be a first step toward unlocking their ability to pass their own infrastructure bill later this year.
The effort is separate from a bipartisan bill on traditional roads and bridges and is expected to set the stage for Democrats to pass reforms like expanding the child tax credit, offering paid medical and family leave and potentially even overhauling the country's immigration system. The bill is also expected to include changes to the US tax code.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the agreement after emerging from a late-night meeting at the US Capitol, flanked by Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders of Vermont and others on the committee -- a sign of unity among members of the Democratic caucus that the committee had sought in recent weeks as they hammered out their framework.
