Senate Democrats announce $3.5 trillion budget agreement

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats announced Tuesday they have reached a budget agreement among themselves that envisions spending $3.5 trillion over the coming decade.

The fiscal plan would pave the way for Democrats to direct federal resources toward addressing climate change, health care and family-service programs sought by President Joe Biden.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced the accord was supported by all 11 Democrats on the chamber’s budget committee after a two-hour evening meeting that capped weeks of bargaining among party leaders, progressives and moderates.

If congressional Democrats rally behind the proposal and turn it into a budget resolution, they can push through Congress in coming weeks. It would help them enact a subsequent, sweeping bill that would actually fund their priorities.

That’s because the budget resolution contains language that would let Democrats move the huge spending bill through the Senate with just a simple majority, not the 60 votes Republicans could demand by using a bill-killing filibuster.

“We are very proud of this plan,” Schumer told reporters. “We know we have a long road to go. We’re going to get this done for the sake of making average American lives a whole lot better.”