Senate Democrats shift strategy after progressive agenda falters
By Alexander Bolton - 02/09/22 06:00 AM EST
Senate Democratic moderates are urging their leadership to tack to the center by moving bills to the floor that can pass with strong Republican support, but it’s creating tension with liberals who don’t want to abandon the core components of Build Back Better, voting rights legislation and other progressive priorities.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) appears to have heard the message from moderates in his caucus loud and clear.
This week, Schumer is stressing plans to vote on legislation that has bipartisan support, such as ending the use of forced arbitration clauses to avoid sexual harassment and assault lawsuits, a bill to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure and a measure to improve U.S. competitiveness with China.
“We’re gearing up to have a productive couple of weeks,” Schumer announced at a press conference at which he and his colleagues highlighted those bills.
The shift away from partisan initiatives that occupied the Senate’s time and attention last month and the end of last year — filibuster reform, voting rights legislation and Build Back Better — comes after centrist Democrats made clear that they wanted to focus on more bipartisan legislation.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/593423-senate-democrats-shift-strategy-after-progressive-agenda-falters
