The parents empasised that their relationship with their children has grown stronger and more affectionate since the incident
A huge infrastructure bill deemed historic by US President Joe Biden passed a key procedural hurdle on Saturday, with enough Republican senators joining Democrats to make its final passage in the upper chamber appear nearly certain.
The $1.2 trillion bill, designed to fund much-needed upgrades to US roads, highways, bridges and high-speed internet, drew the support of 18 Republican senators and 49 Democrats — a rare instance of bipartisanship in deeply divided Washington.
That Republican support — with the party’s Senate leader Mitch McConnell among the 18 in favour — will end floor debate on the bill, a procedural step that required 60 votes.
With only 51 votes required for final Senate passage, the vote on Saturday greatly improves the bill’s chances, although fierce wrangling over amendments is continuing.
The final vote is expected by early next week.
The legislation — months in the making — calls for $550 billion in new federal spending on the nation’s aging infrastructure, including spending to slow the effects of climate change.
The total $1.2 trillion price tag — equal to the 2020 GDP of Spain — includes some funds previously approved but not yet spent.
Biden, a 36-year veteran of Senate manoeuvring, has followed the bill’s progress closely, and White House officials said he would not hesitate to phone wavering senators if needed.
Making a last-minute plea for passage, Biden tweeted on Saturday that the bill represented a “historic, once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure.”
“We can’t afford not to do it,” he added.
Biden also dispatched Vice-President Kamala Harris, another former senator, to Capitol Hill to shore up support for the legislation.
If the Senate approves the plan, it will move to the House of Representatives, where passage is not guaranteed. Democrats hold a narrow majority there, and the party’s centrist and liberal wings have butted heads over the content of the bill.
Final passage by both houses would represent a major victory for the Democratic president, who has been betting his political legacy on economic recovery and the fight against the ravages of Covid-19.
Biden’s Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, issued a statement on Saturday calling the bill “a disgrace.”
Trump, who was unable to bring an infrastructure bill to passage during his four-year term, added that it would be “very hard” for him to “endorse anyone foolish enough to vote in favour of this deal.”
His position could make a final vote more problematic for Republicans looking ahead to the 2022 midterm elections.
But Republicans also know that the spending in the bill is very popular among voters, according to polls.
The parents empasised that their relationship with their children has grown stronger and more affectionate since the incident
Gulf countries will put in place the system to launch the single tourist visa by the end of the year
The stonefish's venom is powerful enough to kill humans, but there have been no recorded fatalities in Australia
Regulations will be applied across public buildings, streets, parks, beaches, private spaces, among others, and violators shall be granted a grace period to adjust their lighting accordingly
Chinese tech brand's innovative product launch reaffirms commitment to creativity and fashion with new laptops, tablet and more in the UAE
Airports including London Heathrow, London Luton, Edinburgh and Manchester see severe delays, as officials have to manually check all passports
The affected models are 2019–2023 GLS/GLE with engine M256 and automatic transmission NAG3
An astronaut, a self-portrait, a bespectacled panda and seven other pictures burst into life from her brush, painted on 10 canvasses