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Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said the Senate parliamentarian’s review of the Democrats’ $740 billion health care, climate, tax and spending package had “largely concluded” as the chamber gaveled in for a rare weekend session.
The chamber on Saturday is set to begin what is expected to be a battle between the two parties over a key Biden administration agenda item before departing for the Senate‘s August recess.
Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, said that key Democratic priorities in the so-called Inflation Reduction Act remain “largely intact” following a scrub by the chamber’s nonpartisan referee, Elizabeth MacDonough, to ensure the legislation meets the Senate’s complex budget reconciliation rules.
“Now that our meetings with the parliamentarian have largely concluded, we have a bill before us that can win the support of all 50 Democrats,” he said. “The bill when passed will meet all of our goals, fighting climate change, lowering health care costs, closing tax loopholes abused by the wealthy and reducing the deficit.”
Under Senate rules governing the reconciliation process, Mr. Schumer needs to secure a simple majority in the evenly split chamber rather than meet the normal 60-vote threshold.
“This is a major win for the American people and a sad commentary on the Republican Party as they actively fight provisions that lower costs for the American family,” he said.
SEE ALSO: Senate parliamentarian OKs most of Dems’ drug price controls
With the legislation now poised for debate on the Senate floor, Democrats have reached a key threshold after months of tense back-and-forth to hammer out the contours of one of President Biden’s top priorities.
