• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • SCB YouTube
  • About Us
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Parcel & Express
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Robotics
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Customer Relationship Management
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • Green Energy
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Supply Chains in Crisis
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Management & Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Warehouse Automation
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • THINK TANK
  • WEBINARS
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Webinar Library
  • PODCASTS
  • WHITEPAPERS
  • VIDEOS
Home » Senate Moves Forward on $550 Billion Infrastructure Deal

Senate Moves Forward on $550 Billion Infrastructure Deal

U.S. Capitol
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Photo: Bloomberg.
July 28, 2021
Bloomberg

The Senate on Wednesday voted to move ahead with a broad infrastructure package, just hours after a bipartisan group of senators and President Joe Biden reached accord on a $550 billion plan that is a major step forward for the White House’s economic agenda.

The 67-32 procedural vote doesn’t guarantee that the package of spending on physical infrastructure will pass the Senate, but is a good indication that it may have enough support. Lawmakers expect votes on amendments and final passage to last into the weekend and possibly next week, with an eye to salvaging a long recess set to begin Aug. 9.

Seventeen Republicans joined all Senate Democrats and two independents in voting to move ahead, including Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri and Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia.

A core group of negotiators led by Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio and Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona hammered out the infrastructure deal after lawmakers failed to muster the votes to begin debate last week and more than a month after they and Biden announced agreement on the basic framework.

“Our plan will create good-paying jobs in communities across our country without raising taxes. Reaching this agreement was no easy task — but our constituents expect us to put in the hard work and show that two parties can still work together to address the needs of the American people,” the group of nine Republicans, 10 Democrats and one independent said in a statement.

Among the projects that would get money, according to the White House:

  • $110 billion for roads, bridges and major projects
  • $73 billion for electric grid upgrades
  • $66 billion for rail and Amtrak improvements
  • $65 billion for broadband expansion
  • $55 billion for clean drinking water
  • $39 billion for transit
  • $17 billion for ports and $25 billion for airports
  • $7.5 billion for electric vehicle chargers

“This deal signals to the world that our democracy can function, deliver, and do big things,” Biden said in a statement. It “will help ensure that America can compete in the global economy just when we are in a race with China and the rest of the world for the 21st century.”

But several Republicans, including Rick Scott of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas, blasted the overall price tag and said they would oppose the bill.

“Congress can’t keep spending trillions of dollars we don’t have,” the senators said in a statement. “The infrastructure package announced today continues the trend in Congress of insane deficit spending.”

The package would be paid for by measures like re-purposing $200 billion in unspent COVID-19 relief funds, sales from the Strategic Petroleum reserve, increased customs user fees, government-sponsored enterprise fees and increased reporting requirements on cryptocurrency transactions. It also uses some funding sources that are sometimes called gimmicks, like counting revenue from future economic growth, extending cuts to future Medicare spending that Congress regularly turns off and allowing companies to defer pension contributions, thereby raising their tax burden.

Democrats unsatisfied with the level of spending for transit and water projects in the bill are expected to seek amendments on the floor to change those sections. Republicans also are likely to seek changes.

If the Senate is able to pass the bill in the coming days, Democrats hope to quickly pivot to passing a budget resolution for fiscal 2022 which would set up a fast-track process to enact much of the rest of Biden’s economic agenda without any Republican support.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said his goal is to pass the infrastructure legislation and the budget resolution before the Senate’s scheduled August break begins at the end of next week.

Senate Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders told reporters he has the 50 votes needed to pass a budget resolution. While Democrats on the Budget Committee have put forward a $3.5 trillion proposal of tax increases and social spending, Sinema on Wednesday announced she doesn’t support spending at that level. She said she will vote with her party to approve the initial budget plan but then later try to alter the scope of the economic package itself.

The budget resolution does not necessarily need to have a final top-line spending level, so her announcement may still allow the Senate to quickly pass that outline and save battles over the particulars for a vote in September. Still, that may create complications for final passage of both the infrastructure plan and the budget package.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has made plain that the infrastructure legislation won’t be voted on until the Senate passes the second tax and spend package.

On Wednesday, House Congressional Progressive Caucus leader Pramila Jayapal of Washington backed up that statement with a threat to vote down the infrastructure bill if the group’s priorities aren’t met.

    RELATED CONTENT

    RELATED VIDEOS

    Logistics Global Gateways Rail & Intermodal Transportation & Distribution Automotive Chemicals & Energy High-Tech/Electronics
    • Related Articles

      Biden Signed the $550 Billion Infrastructure Deal. Here's Who Gets the Money.

      Senate Passes $550 Billion Infrastructure Plan in Win for Biden

      Bipartisan House Group Backs Biden-Senate Infrastructure Deal

    • Related Directories

      ProcureAbility

      GLS US

    Bloomberg

    Boeing Unveils New 737 Line as Industry Drives to Boost Output

    More from this author

    Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter!

    Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

    Featured Product

    Popular Stories

    • US Treasury Check with Tariff Stamp

      Will Trump’s New Tariffs Wipe Out Importers’ IEEPA Refunds?

      Global Trade & Economics
    • A grey concrete soccer stadium with a red lining around the upper edge of the bowl

      What Mexico's World Cup Infrastructure Push Means for Manufacturers

      Logistics
    • A ROBOTIC HAND AND A HUMAN HAND REACH TOWARD EACH OTHER FOR A HANDSHAKE

      Why AI Feels Fun at Home, But Risky When It Comes to the Supply Chain

      Artificial Intelligence
    • TWO COMMERICAL SHIPS AT SEA UNDER A DARK SKY

      Container Carriers Eye Return to Red Sea Route

      Global Gateways
    • Oil wells silhouetted at sunset, set against a faded image of a Cuban flag

      Cuba Power Grid Collapses as Fuel Crisis Hits Breaking Point

      Global Supply Chain Management

    Digital Edition

    2026 esg cover main scb q2 2026 cover

    SupplyChainBrain 2026 ESG Guide: ESG — The Supply Chain’s Biggest Secret

    VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

    Case Studies

    • Recycled Tagging Fasteners: Small Changes Make a Big Impact

    • A GRAPHIC SHOWING MULTIPLE FORMS OF SHIPPING, WITH A HUMAN STANDING AT THE CENTER, TOUCHING A SYMBOLIC MAP OF THE WORLD

      Enhancing High-Value Electronics Shipment Security with Tive's Real-Time Tracking

    • A GRAPHIC OF INTERLACING HONEYCOMBED ELEMENTS REPRESENTING GLOBAL BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS

      Moving Robots Site-to-Site

    • JLL Finds Perfect Warehouse Location, Leading to $15M Grant for Startup

    • Robots Speed Fulfillment to Help Apparel Company Scale for Growth

    Visit Our Sponsors

    4flow Arkieva Blue Yonder
    Carton Cloud CoEnterprise Dassault
    Duravant E2Open EPG
    General Logistics Systems GEP Hy-Tek
    iGPS Korber Lyngsoe
    PeakAI Procurability Quinyx
    SAP Sikick Staples
    Systech S&P Global Mobility TADA
    Tive TransImpact US Bank
    Werner Enterprises WSI
    • More From SCB
      • Featured Content
      • Video Library
      • Think Tank Blog
      • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
      • Whitepapers
      • On-Demand Webinars
      • Upcoming Webinars
    • Digital Offerings
      • Digital Issue
      • Subscribe
      • Manage Email Preferences
      • Newsletters
    • Resources
      • Events Calendar
      • 2026 Event Coverage
      • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
      • Supplier Directory
      • Case Study Showcase
      • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
      • 100 Great Partners Form
    • SCB Corporate
      • Advertise on SCB.COM
      • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact Us
      • Data Sharing Opt-Out

    All content copyright ©2026 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

    Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing