The Biden budget includes a $1.5tn request for operating expenditures for the Pentagon and other government departments.
What's in the plan?
The White House says the proposal will help grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out.
Biden unveils 'once in a generation' spending plan
This budget promises:
More than $800bn for the fight against climate change, including investments in clean energy
$200bn to provide free pre-school places for all three and four-year-olds
$109bn for two years of free community college for all Americans
$225bn for a national paid family and medical leave programme - bringing the US in line with comparable wealthy nations
$115bn for roads and bridges and $160bn for public transit and railways
$100bn to improve access to broadband internet for every American household
The budget also has a noticeable absence: the Hyde Amendment, a federal provision that says taxpayer money cannot fund abortions in US states except in cases of rape and incest.
Biden is the first president in decades to exclude the abortion coverage ban, a move that has already been applauded by progressives. He supported the amendment for years before changing course during last year's presidential campaign.
But the president's plan faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where several centrist members of his own party could side with Republicans in supporting the Hyde Amendment.
Will it pass?
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Unlike most other bills, budget measures can be passed with just 51 votes instead of the 60 typically required meaning he might be able to sign some of his plans into law without Republican support.
And ensuring all Democrats are on board won't be easy either. While Democrats are broadly in support of his spending initiatives, there are sure to be sticking points.
Mr Biden's increase in military spending, for example, may cause issues among the more progressive members of his party.
Wild question for the room: Why don't we give the military a bunch of money to build and run a nuclear-powered shipping fleet that will replace all international ships docking with US ports?...
Mr Biden's increase in military spending, for example, may cause issues among the more progressive members of his party.
Wild question for the room: Why don't we give the military a bunch of money to build and run a nuclear-powered shipping fleet that will replace all international ships docking with US ports? Progressives get a huge climate win, pro-military people get a new branch to drool over.
Progressives don’t like nuclear and more military spending, deficit hawks don’t like more spending period. I suspect you’d run into similar issues convincing them to support the idea. I think...
Progressives don’t like nuclear and more military spending, deficit hawks don’t like more spending period. I suspect you’d run into similar issues convincing them to support the idea. I think there are ways to boost nuclear marine propulsion, but I don’t think we’ll be able to lean so heavily on the military.
I do think increased spending should go toward emerging threats. For example, I know a few military people who believe it is time to create a Cyber Force. Personally I’d approve.
Deficit hawks only give a shit about spending when it doesn't directly line their own pockets. They had absolutely no trouble blowing a gaping $1.5T hole in the budget the first chance they got as...
deficit hawks don’t like more spending period.
Deficit hawks only give a shit about spending when it doesn't directly line their own pockets. They had absolutely no trouble blowing a gaping $1.5T hole in the budget the first chance they got as soon as Trump took office.
Just a side-note ... doesn't it seem a bit odd that "pre-school for everyone" would cost twice as much as "college for everyone"?
Teacher/student ratios are a bit different for humans that can consistently feed themselves and go to the bathroom unattended.
Wild question for the room: Why don't we give the military a bunch of money to build and run a nuclear-powered shipping fleet that will replace all international ships docking with US ports? Progressives get a huge climate win, pro-military people get a new branch to drool over.
Progressives don’t like nuclear and more military spending, deficit hawks don’t like more spending period. I suspect you’d run into similar issues convincing them to support the idea. I think there are ways to boost nuclear marine propulsion, but I don’t think we’ll be able to lean so heavily on the military.
I do think increased spending should go toward emerging threats. For example, I know a few military people who believe it is time to create a Cyber Force. Personally I’d approve.
Deficit hawks only give a shit about spending when it doesn't directly line their own pockets. They had absolutely no trouble blowing a gaping $1.5T hole in the budget the first chance they got as soon as Trump took office.