U.S. senators upbeat on prospects for bipartisan infrastructure bill

Reuters reports that the U.S. Senate on Thursday prepared to tackle the details of a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, with the possibility of weekend work looming after lawmakers agreed to advance the measure.

Another vote was scheduled for 15:30 GMT on Friday to begin debate on the proposal to rebuild America’s roads, ports and bridges, beginning a process that could last for days and could include amendments that change the bill or cloud its chances of passage.

Both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, were upbeat about the road ahead on the bill, which was brokered by Senate negotiators and White House officials and cleared an important procedural hurdle by a vote of 67-32 on Wednesday.

McConnell, who was among 17 Republicans who voted to advance the measure, called it a “focused compromise” and an “important, basic duty of government.”

Some amendments are expected to be proposed, including on the bill’s broadband internet provisions, the Senate’s number two Republican, John Thune, said, without giving details.