Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Following months of negotiations, President Joe Biden’s nearly $2 trillion Build Back Better infrastructure plan passed the House of Representatives this morning.
The narrow House vote, 220-213, comes on the heels of Biden signing the first of two major infrastructure bills this week, the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Of note to municipalities, the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better spending package (H.R. 5376) includes investments in workforce development, climate change mitigation and resilience funding, and affordable housing initiatives. The plan also has funding for technical assistance to local governments through a new Rural Partnership Program that’s intended to help small and rural communities that are often excluded from federal grant opportunities.
Congressional leaders are looking to pass the Build Back Better plan using the budget reconciliation process, which provides for expedited consideration of high-priority fiscal legislation. Under reconciliation, amendments are limited in scope, and the bill is not subject to filibuster in the Senate.
Democrats do not need Republican support in order to pass the reconciliation bill in the Senate, but they will need support from every Democratic senator, which has resulted in lengthy negotiations over what the final bill will include, as well as the final price tag. Should the Senate make changes to the bill the House passed today, it would need to return to the House for another vote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he believes the Senate will vote on the bill before the Christmas holiday.