Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter to the Senate Democratic Caucus on the April work period and priorities moving forward. The letter details the plans to consider President Biden's FY2022 Budget and the Build Back Better proposals, which may form the core of the forthcoming infrastructure package. Argentum is working with lawmakers to craft a long-term care section in the legislation that would include immediate provider relief and long-term investments in facilities, technology, and infection control. The full letter is posted below:
Dear Colleague:
First, I want to thank you for your hard work developing and passing the American Rescue Plan Act, historic legislation that will keep millions of American workers, business, and families afloat while hastening and boosting our economic recovery. The legislation we were able to pass is nothing short of transformational. Not only will the American Rescue Plan help millions of Americans to weather the public health and economic crises, but we were able to do it in a way that focused aid directly on the Americans that needed it most. As we have discussed, I encourage you to spend the State work period holding events on the Rescue plan with your constituents.
Now that we have passed the American Rescue Plan, the Senate must continue to make progress on the other major issues facing the American people. I would like to update you on three major areas we will focus on when we return – voting rights and civil rights, economic recovery and jobs with an emphasis on climate change and building back better, and health and gun safety. We will try to work with our Republican colleagues on a bipartisan basis when and where we can. But if they choose to obstruct, rather than work with us to deliver for American families, we must make progress nonetheless. Failure is not an option.
Voting Rights and Civil Rights. This Senate will once again be the forum where civil rights is debated and historic action is taken to secure them for all Americans. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a first-ever hearing on the Equality Act, landmark legislation passed by the House that would enshrine as a matter of principle and of law that no American shall be denied justice based on their gender or sexual orientation. At the same time, the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committees have started their work responding to the concerted, nationwide attack on the voting rights of millions of Americans not seen since the era of Jim Crow. This week, the For the People Act, a bill critical to reforming our democracy, received its first-ever Senate hearing in the Rules Committee. The Senate Judiciary Committee will soon begin it’s consideration of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Each of these bills will receive full consideration in committee and eventually on the Senate floor. And when the Senate returns to session on April 12th, the first items we will consider are Senator Hirono’s COVID Hate Crimes legislation to give the Department of Justice and local law enforcement more tools to combat hate crimes, especially in the Asian-American community, and confirming top positions at the Department of Justice, including the nominees for Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General.
Economic Recovery, Jobs and Climate Change. We will also keep a laser-focus on our recovery and ensuring our long-term economic growth benefits every American. In the coming weeks and months, the Senate will consider legislation to rebuild our infrastructure and fight climate change, boost R&D and domestic manufacturing, reform our broken immigration system, and grow the power of American workers. This week, the Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously reported a bipartisan Clean Water infrastructure bill that will double annual funding and make a significant investment in environmental justice. The EPW, Banking, and Commerce Committees are also working to develop bipartisan surface transportation and broadband internet bills for the Senate to consider this summer. In early April, multiple committees will have hearings and mark-ups on bipartisan legislation designed to bolster American competitiveness and counter the growing economic threats we face across the globe, especially from the Chinese Communist Party. Our work to combat the existential threat of climate change will continue across the Senate Committees. And the Senate will consider reforms to improve the United States Postal Service, a critical lifeline for our small businesses and workers, and begin hearings on a bipartisan workforce development and apprenticeship bill.
We will also continue to coordinate with and hear from President Biden and his Administration on their proposals to Build Back Better. In the coming days, we expect to learn more details regarding the President’s FY2022 Budget and his Build Back Better proposals focused on the economic recovery, jobs and climate change. I hope you review these proposals carefully so that we can discuss them when we return.
Health and Gun Safety. The Congressional Review Act (CRA) provides us with an opportunity to repeal some of the most harmful rules that the Trump administration put into place at the end of its term that jeopardize the health and safety of the American people. Specifically, we will use the CRA to repeal a new burdensome and dilatory Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rule that give employers an unfair advantage over workers when settling discriminatory claims. We also plan to hold a vote to overturn President Trump’s roll-back of limitations on methane emissions from oil and gas, which will be an important step to combat climate change. Finally and sadly, we must also take action to deal with the epidemic of gun violence that has plagued this nation and gone unaddressed by this Senate for far too long.
Now that we have achieved the three major goals we set in early January - confirming the President’s team, conducting a fair impeachment trial, and passing the American Rescue Plan - the next phase of our work will be to deliver on the promises we made to the American people to build a cleaner planet, and more equal economy, and a more just society. I look forward to discussing these issues with you over the state work period.
Sincerely,
Charles. E. Schumer
