Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office on Friday warned Democrats to be ready to work late nights and weekends this month, a sign of the strenuous weeks ahead, according to two Democratic aides.
Leadership’s notice comes as Senate Democrats face an intense fall schedule, with multiple fiscal deadlines hitting as the chamber also works to confirm President Joe Biden’s nominees.
In the coming weeks, Democrats will need to fund the government past Sept. 30, as well as address the debt ceiling. Senate Republicans have vowed they will not vote to raise the debt ceiling and argue that Democrats can do so on their own using reconciliation. But the White House and Democratic leadership are pushing for a bipartisan solution, saying much of the debt was racked up under former President Donald Trump.
In addition, Democrats are racing to finalize their up-to $3.5 trillion social spending plan. Progressives had hoped that the social spending package would be ready by Sept. 27, the date Speaker Nancy Pelosi has set for a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill, but Democrats increasingly acknowledge that that timeline is unlikely.
Senate Democrats are also set to vote as soon as next week on an intraparty compromise bill on election and ethics reform. A working group of Senate Democrats introduced the legislation this week, but it’s widely expected to fail amid unanimous opposition from Senate Republicans.
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