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Schumer announces $3.5 trillion spending plan to pair with infrastructure package
In a late-night announcement Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Budget Committee had reached an agreement to allot $3.5 trillion for a spending package that would complete President Biden’s infrastructure plan.
"The Budget Committee has come to an agreement," Schumer told reporters following a closed-door meeting with Democratic lawmakers.
"You add that to that the $600 billion in a bipartisan plan and you get to $4.1 trillion, which is very, very close to what President Biden has asked us for," Schumer said. "Every major program that President Biden has asked us for is funded in a robust way."
The plan will fund a budget reconciliation package so that Democratic lawmakers can sidestep the need for GOP support and shield the funds from a filibuster.
The budget will cover costs to expand Medicare, address climate change, childcare and education – all big-ticket items deemed "human infrastructure" that Republicans said they would fervently reject. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.
In other developments:
- Sen. Capito slams Democrats’ human infrastructure bill, warns of ‘troubled waters ahead’
- Lawmakers to determine fate of infrastructure, antipoverty plans
- Schumer says Senate may work into August to pass infrastructure plan, reconciliation bill
- Trump calls for GOP pullout from Biden’s $1.2T mega-spending talks: ‘You’re just being played’
Texas Senate passes Republican-backed voting reform bill
Texas state senators passed a GOP-led voting reform bill Tuesday, following Democrats' departure from the state in a move to stall passing the House's version of the bill.
In a party-line vote, 18-4 Senate Republicans passed a bill that would more heavily regulate voting laws, an effort that Democrats have dubbed as ‘Jim Crow 2.0.’
Eight state Senate Democrats joined House members in fleeing the state for Washington, D.C., first reported the Texas Tribune.
A ninth senator is expected to meet the group of lawmakers in the nation’s capital, but a quorum in the Senate was maintained with 22 of its 31 members present, allowing for the passage of the bill.
"Rather than continuing to fruitlessly debate Republicans who refuse to legislate in good faith, Texas Senate Democrats decided to take matters into their own hands in order to secure the voting rights of Texans – especially voters of colors, seniors and those with disabilities — and work with our partners at the federal level to pass voting rights legislation that would rein in discriminatory voter suppression laws and unfair redistricting practices," the Democratic senators said in a joint statement to the Texas publication.
But while Democrats have claimed the laws proposed by GOP senators are suppressive attempts to block voter turnout, Republicans maintain the laws would secure the elective process. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- Here's what is actually in the Texas election bills Democrats keep comparing to Jim Crow
- Democrats who 'fled' Texas slam GOP-backed elections bill, say they are making 'big sacrifices' with walkout
- Texas law 'explicitly' gives House speaker authority to arrest fleeing Dems: Ted Cruz
- Ruthless podcast plays 'Dem or Journo' based on reactions of Texas voting bill saga
Gutfeld rips Biden as 'pathological liar' injecting race into election law speech amid Texas standoff
"The Five" host Greg Gutfeld blasted President Joe Biden as a "pathological, shameless liar" after the commander-in-chief injected race into a Philadelphia speech about election laws as Texas state Democratic lawmakers flew to Washington, D.C. to prevent that state's legislature from having a quorum to approve new reforms.
Speaking in Old City, Biden claimed proponents of election security measures are engaging in a "21st century Jim Crow assault."
"It's unrelenting. It's unrelenting. And we are going to challenge it vigorously," he said. "Are you on the side of truth or lies? … Stand up, for God's sake, and help prevent this concerted effort to undermine our election.'
Biden went on to claim Republican-led election security reforms in states such as Texas, Georgia and Pennsylvania are akin to "facing the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War."
On "The Five," Gutfeld said he was upset by Biden's race-infused rhetoric.
"He is a pathological, shameless liar," he said. "He ran on being a unifier, and all he does is bank on racial discontent. He is comparing this bill to the KKK [and] Jim Crow. All he does is foment racial conflict," Gutfeld said, additionally referencing the Texas election integrity bill that spurred the Democrats to leave the state." CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- Texas’ Abbott says Biden, Dems must stop ‘misinformation’ spread on voting bill
- Tucker Carlson: Texas freedom fighter Democrats fled to DC in a move even Putin wouldn't attempt
- Ingraham slams Biden's Philadelphia voter rights speech: 'As usual, liberals are at war with the facts'
- Hannity slams Biden's 'extremely troubling' rhetoric on election laws
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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Professor singles out 'average White guy' in lecture, says skin color benefits him over Black students
- Heather Mac Donald: We are seeing slow-motion riots right now in the U.S. Anarchy is coming to our cities
- Influencer plummets to death while snapping waterfall selfie
- Some Notre Dame students and faculty outraged by proposed campus Chick-fil-A
- AL extends All-Star Game winning streak with latest victory over NL
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- Apple's potential 'buy now, pay later' plan sends sector tumbling
SOME PARTING WORDS
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich joined Sean Hannity on "Hannity" Tuesday night to discuss voting measures and the recent Supreme Court decision on elections.
"The importance of that case is that it was a 6-3 decision and I argued it and the Supreme Court recognizes that election integrity measures – common-sense measures – are OK and they’re consistent with the Constitution," Brnovich said, "and the Constitution recognizes states can set time, place and manner statutes regarding how elections are conducted."
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