U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday set a vote on the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill for Thursday and voiced confidence it would pass, Reuters reported. Debate on the legislation, which passed the Senate with Democratic and Republican support on Aug. 10 and would help fund road, bridge, airport, school and other construction projects, will begin today, she added. Pelosi has not yet set a date to bring to the floor a larger, $3.5 trillion social welfare and climate bill — the cost of which has divided her fellow Democrats — and said it is still under negotiation. She added it was “self-evident” that the larger spending bill might shrink in size. Both measures are key to Democratic President Joe Biden's economic agenda. Earlier on Sunday, Pelosi said she would not bring the infrastructure bill to a vote until she was sure it would pass, but expressed confidence about its prospects. Democrats have so far failed to reach consensus on the timing of the two measures. Some progressive lawmakers insist the $1 trillion infrastructure bill be held back until the bigger measure is ready. Moderates want the infrastructure bill enacted whatever the progress on the larger package, which includes provisions for expanding health care for children and the elderly and for investing in steps to drastically reduce emissions blamed on climate change. Pelosi did not specifically address how the divisions within the Democratic Party would be bridged, but said the final figure for the larger measure would be lower than $3.5 trillion. The House Budget Committee advanced the larger bill on Saturday, reporting the legislation with a favorable recommendation.
