This Tuesday, Democratic senators from the Budget Committee approved a $3.5 billion budget that will be used to secure Medicare and other aspects such as social assistance programs and combating climate change.
The agreement is the first step for Democrats to green-light the law through a legislative process known as “Budget Adjustment”, under which they would not ask any Republican senators while 50 Democratic senators (who make up a majority) agree unanimously.
“We are very proud of this plan,” said New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer.
“We know we have a long way to go. We will do it for the benefit of ordinary Americans, to make their lives so much better.”
According to Schumer, the agreement includes a ‘Big expansion of Medicare’, which will provide new benefits such as eye, dental and hearing treatments.
“If approved, it would be the most profound change made in generations to help American families,” he added.
In addition, the plan will prohibit tax increases for people whose income is less than $400,000 a year, as well as small businesses.
The initiative presents a major challenge to the Biden government, which will have to fund the project with new taxes and which, surely, will have difficulties getting it approved in Congress because it will not have Republican support.
Democrats have a slim margin of error in the Senate, where they hold a majority with a tie-break vote Kamala Harris; However, in the House of Representatives they can only lose four votes
“This is, in our view, a pivotal moment in American history,” Bernie Sanders, chairman of the Budget Committee, told reporters.