"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday he would set a procedural vote on a bipartisan infrastructure package that is a key part of Democratic President Joe Biden's agenda for Wednesday, increasing pressure on negotiators as they struggled with ways to pay for the cost of the measure.

Schumer said the Wednesday vote did not require Senate negotiators hammer out every provision in the bill by then and that Democratic leaders of the bipartisan group supported his approach.

"The motion to proceed on Wednesday is simply about getting the legislative process started here on the Senate floor. It is not a deadline to determine every final detail of the bill," Schumer said on the Senate floor.

The announcement came as Republicans urged Schumer to delay the Wednesday vote if the legislation was not yet fully written."

David Morgan and Makini Brice report for Reuters July 19, 2021. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Infrastructure Deal In Precarious State As Endgame Nears" (Washington Post) [3]

"Senators and Biden Aides Struggle to Save Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal" (New York Times) [4]

"EXPLAINER: How Democrats Hope To Enact Biden Domestic Agenda" (AP) [5]