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Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin was asked by CNN on Friday if Americans should be prepared to wait weeks or potentially months for the legislation, known as Build Back Better. “I can’t tell you the timetable,” the Illinois Democrat said. “But I will tell you that I think it’s healthy that senators are going home to eggnog and fruitcake. Maybe that will improve their attitudes.”
Durbin said that he shares “the President’s optimism that the importance of our undertaking demands that we come back quickly in January and resume these negotiations.”
The pressure is on for Democrats to pass the legislation, which stands as a centerpiece of Biden’s domestic agenda and would deliver aid to families, expand access to health care and combat climate change. But to accomplish that, the party must achieve total unity in the Senate where all 50 members of the Senate Democratic caucus must vote for the bill to pass it under a process known as reconciliation, which would permit Democrats to approve the bill without Republican votes.
The Senate is currently still in session and is taking votes related to nominations. Once those votes have concluded, the chamber is likely to break for the holiday season.
“Yesterday I had a good discussion with the President and the speaker where we talked about ongoing negotiations on finalizing the Build Back Better Act so we can pass it through the Senate,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Friday during floor remarks.
The New York Democrat went on to say that “the President requested more time to continue his negotiations and so we will keep working, working with him hand in hand to bring this bill over the finish line.”