Student Forum Newsletter

President Biden Releases Infrastructure Plan: ON MARCH 31, President Joe Biden called for a $2 trillion investment in the nation’s roads, waterways, airports, electric grid and broadband by releasing his American Jobs Plan. The proposal provides funding for infrastructure, clean energy, innovation and R&D (research and development), manufacturing and workplace support, and the caregiving economy. The $2 trillion investment is sweeping, covering everything from climate change to workforce development, and would amount to an investment of about 1 percent of the GDP per year over eight years, according to a fact sheet on the plan. The price tag could make passage difficult in Congress, especially in the 50-50 Senate.

All ‘Ayes’ on the Senate, Part II: Sen. Joe Manchin Signals Willingness to Reform Filibuster: On March 7, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) indicated he is open to reforming the filibuster to allow more opportunities for Democrats to pass legislation through the Senate along party lines and without relying on Republican support. Manchin, who wields significant power in the evenly divided Senate as a moderate willing to work across party lines, said he believes the filibuster should be made more “painful” to dissuade the minority from using it frequently. With the Senate evenly split 50-50, pressure among Democrats to eliminate the filibuster has been building. Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have said they are against efforts to get rid of the filibuster.