Senator Bernie Sanders (V-I) left a White House meeting with President Joe Biden on the Democratic infrastructure bill saying he had a “very good discussion” on the “transformative” $3.5 trillion package, reported the Associated Press.
“He knows and I know that we’re seeing an economy where the very, very rich are getting richer while working families are struggling,” said Sanders to reporters.
Sanders is the chair of the Senate Budget Committee. Late on Monday, Democrats on his committee also met privately with Senate Majority Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and White House advisors.
Sanders related that he and Biden did not mention a final figure for the infrastructure bill but he spoke about his own proposal, a far more encompassing $6 trillion plan, that would expand Medicare for older Americans.
He later told reporters that the Democrats’ bill would exceed the $3.5 trillion figure.
The end of the day we’re going to accomplish something very significant,” said Sanders.
“What we’re trying to do is a multi-trillion-dollar bill which is going to address long neglected problems of the working families in this country,” he said.
He added that the bill will also focus on climate change.