Hill Sets Oct. 31 Infrastructure, Reconciliation Deadline

Congressional Democratic leaders moved back the deadline for enacting the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR-3684) and a related budget reconciliation package to Oct. 31, after renewed infighting between the party’s liberal and moderate factions over the latter bill (see 2110010001). Oct. 31 also is expiration of a 30-day extension of the surface transportation statute (HR-5434) enacted Saturday in a bid to buy more time to pass HR-3684, which includes $65 billion for broadband. “Not every member will get everything he or she wanted” in HR-3684 or reconciliation still under negotiations, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York Monday in a letter to the chamber’s Democratic caucus. “At the end of the day, we will pass legislation that will dramatically improve the lives of the American people. I believe we are going to do just that in the month of October.” A final reconciliation deal needs to happen “within a matter of days, not weeks,” for Democrats to meet that goal, Schumer said. President Joe Biden indicated during a Friday meeting with House Democrats that they'd likely be "working with a lower topline number" for the reconciliation bill than the $3.5 trillion originally envisioned "and decisions must therefore be made regarding the size and scope" of the measure, Pelosi said in a Monday letter to the caucus.