A $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package moved forward Saturday, when the Senate broke a filibuster.
The Senate has been negotiating the package – called the called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – for months, said CNN. Senators held votes on 22 amendments throughout the week and worked the previous weekend to finalize the legislative text.
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When 12 hours of negotiations this week stretched into Thursday evening, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the chamber would reconvene Saturday to move on a vote to shut down debate.
"We very much want to finish this important bill," Schumer said in floor remarks as he made the announcement. It is unusual for the Senate to meet for Saturday sessions, but Schumer said he would have senators work through their summer break to get the legislation passed, according to Reuters.
President Joe Biden is a strong supporter of the bill.
Included in the bill is $550 billion in expenses over the next five years. It invests $110 billion in funding towards roads, bridges and major projects, $66 billion in passenger and freight rail, $65 billion to rebuild the electric grid, $65 billion to expand broadband Internet access, $39 billion to modernize and expand transit systems and $55 billion for water infrastructure, $15 billion of which will be directed toward replacing lead pipes.
Freshman Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee said that he objected to quick passage of the infrastructure bill on Thursday because it is estimated to add $256 billion to projected deficits over the next decade, according to CNN.
Other Republicans have also criticized the bipartisan bill, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the Senate Republican Whip, suggested to reporters late Thursday night that the failure to reach any agreement on amendments was ultimately a "good outcome, and that is: people kind of go to their corners, towel off and then we'll come back and talk about it on Saturday."
Overall, 67 senators voted in favor of it in a procedural vote and 62 voted against it.
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A funeral for former GOP Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming attended by a number of senators Friday was expected to impact what time the Senate gathered.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a lead Democratic negotiator of the bill, said in remarks late Thursday that she looks forward to the chamber advancing what will be a "historic piece of legislation both in its bipartisan nature and in the impact it will have on our country,” according to CNN.
Now, package will need to go to the House of Representatives in September, where it faces an uncertain future, according to CNN.
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