Senate Dems unveil $3.5T budget for social, climate efforts

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats unwrapped a budget resolution envisioning a massive $3.5 trillion, 10-year cascade of federal resources, aiming historic sums at family support, health and education programs and an aggressive drive to heal the climate.

The measure is a pivotal first step in what will likely be a tumultuous, months-long Democratic legislative march toward a progressive reshaping of the federal government that also hews to President Joe Biden's top domestic policy ambitions.

The blueprint released Monday reflects many Democrats' tilt leftward in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency and bears the imprint of Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a longtime progressive voice now at the hub of the Democratic Party's power structure in Congress.

Many of its proposals would be financed by raising taxes on the wealthy and large corporations while sparing people earning under $400,000 annually, an oft-repeated Biden pledge and liberal goal. Though party leaders say the measure will be fully paid for, the budget resolution does not require that, instead giving Congress’ tax-writing committees unspecified license to raise money that a summary calls “substantial.”

The Senate was expected to approve the budget plan this week over solid Republican opposition. Meanwhile, senators were nearing approval of a separate $1 trillion package financing road, water and other infrastructure projects, a bill with broad support.

The vote on that bipartisan plan was scheduled for Tuesday morning. After that, the Senate will immediately launch votes on the $3.5 trillion plan.

Crucially, congressional approval of the budget outline would let Democrats pass a detailed follow-up bill this fall enacting the blueprint’s proposed spending and tax changes without facing a GOP filibuster that would...