President Joe Biden’s White House team is drafting a massive $3 trillion infrastructure spending deal, according to reports, but most of the spending will be directed toward social welfare programs.
The New York Times previewed the spending plan on Tuesday, reporting despite the president’s interest in infrastructure, it would also focus on reducing carbon emissions, addressing economic inequality, and promoting equity.
Only $1 trillion of the proposal would be spent on actual infrastructure priorities, according to the report, such as roads, bridges, rail lines, ports, electric grid improvements, and charging stations for electric cars.
Other priorities include investments in wind and solar power, 5G telecommunications, rural broadband, and worker training. The proposal also includes the development of one million “affordable and energy-efficient” housing units.
Bloomberg News reports Biden’s team is planning $400 billion in “green spending.” Other reported spending measures in the proposal include tuition reductions among minorities, health-care initiatives, and money for child care and eldercare.
The Washington Post reports the proposal includes plans for free community college and universal prekindergarten,
It’s possible Democrats will split up the massive spending bills, in an effort to draw more Republican support for infrastructure, the Times reports, but the big hurdle is Biden’s effort to raise taxes to pay for part of the spending measure.
Republicans are unlikely to support a tax hike, meaning Democrats could shift to passing a funding measure through budget reconciliation requiring only 51 votes that they used to pass the $1.9 trillion coronavirus spending bill.