A “Green New Deal” in the U.S. brought forward by progressive Democrats now takes steps toward passage as a more politically ‘doable’ $3 trillion, 2 part “Infrastructure” package. Stay tuned. It may next be going a reconciliation route…
A Green New Deal (by another name) Moves Forward
March 23, 2021
U.S. Politics / Via Axios
Driving the news: President Biden is considering using budget reconciliation two more times this year to pass up to $3 trillion in spending aimed at core priorities, including infrastructure, climate change, education, taxes and health care, Axios’ Hans Nichols and Alayna Treene report for Axios.
Why it matters: Biden campaigned on big investments in areas like EV charging, grid modernization and boosting R&D, but specifics of his proposals have yet to emerge.
And while a legislative strategy is still taking shape, using reconciliation would enable Democrats to bypass Senate filibusters.
Where it stands: Stories (3/22) in the New York Times and Washington Post provide broad-brush numbers on climate and energy pieces of the much wider — and preliminary — White House plans.
Via the Washington Post…
“The infrastructure component of the proposal includes $400 billion in spending to combat climate change, including $60 billion for infrastructure related to green transit and $46 billion for climate-related research and development. The plan also would aim to make electric-vehicle charging stations available across the country.”
And the NYT notes…
“Documents suggest it will include nearly $1 trillion in spending on the construction of roads, bridges, rail lines, ports, electric vehicle charging stations, and improvements to the electric grid and other parts of the power sector.”
