House Dems plan budget vote next week, defying moderates

BY ALAN FRAM
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Democrats are planning House votes next week on a budget resolution that would clear a path for future passage of the party’s ambitious plans for social and environment programs. And that suggests a showdown ahead with rebellious party moderates. Nine centrist Democrats have said they’ll vote against their own party’s budget blueprint. That’s enough to defeat it in the closely divided House. They want the chamber to first approve a separate $1 trillion infrastructure bill. But Democratic leaders want to wait on the infrastructure vote until a separate $3.5 trillion social and environment bill is ready. Moderates will have to decide what they’ll do.