The House and Senate are out of session this week.
The American plans: Last week, President Biden’s $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan (public works infrastructure & corporate tax increases) and $1.8 trillion American Families Plan (social infrastructure & upper income tax increases) continued to receive scrutiny, praise and criticism. Republicans remain committed to a road, rail, water and bridge infrastructure plan of around $600 billion and want to do it without any tax increases. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), said she hoped that both sides could come to an agreement, based on the plan that Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) presented to President Biden (covered here last week). Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) appeared to agree with his colleague from West Virginia and suggested that the plan be used as a basis for negotiation. Currently, there are discussions amongst Democratic legislators to split the physical infrastructure plan off and pass it on its own, without several of the Democratic priorities that Republicans find unpalatable (tax increases, epic cost, etc.).