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The House Budget Committee voted Saturday to approve the bill of spending bill of $ 3.5 billion out of committee and send it to the House floor for possible amendments , according to CNN.
The vote went from 20 to 16 and Democratic Representative Scott Peters d e California joined Republicans in voting against the bill.
This vote was a necessary step for the bill to reach the full House of Representatives, where it can be amended.
Democrats have been fighting to pass President Joe Biden’s economic agenda, including the huge tax and spending bill that would expand education, healthcare and support childcare, address the climate crisis and invest more in infrastructure.
The bill that will secure Biden’s economic plan has raised concerns among moderates, who are concerned that some of the measures Even on the price of drugs and the climate, go too far, as progressives say they have committed enough already. Republicans are united in their opposition.
During its meeting on Saturday, the House Budget Committee was unable to change what others committees have already voted to approve.
In a hurry to approve the economic package
Congressional Democrats are using a fast-track budget process to push the economic package of up to $ 3.5 trillion through the Senate , bypassing the Republicans .
As part of that process, the Budget Committee had to gather the 13 components of the bill reported by policy committees this month, vote to pass it, which has already been met, and then submit the 2, 465 page bill to the Committee Rules , the last step before a vote on the floor of the Lower House.
While it is only a procedural step, it is rare that it is done over the weekend, but the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, are trying to give a decisive boost to the agenda of Biden, amid deep divisions between Democrats and the fall in poll numbers for the president.
It remains to be seen whether the package will go up to a vote in the House anytime soon, given that four dissident Democratic members could reject it and add their votes to those of the united opposition of the Republican Party.