Last week you will recall that the Wednesday Wonk walked you through the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act, the Build Back Better Act, as well as some pesky matters facing the Congress—like funding the Federal government and raising the Debt Ceiling. Today, the Wonk will update you on these matters, plus give you some resources to use in order to stay up-to-date!

Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law on Monday. Now that this massive bill is law, it must be implemented. According to Rollcall, the President now turns to former Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu as infrastructure czar. Landrieu is well-known for his skill in bringing people together. He’ll work with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who will oversee the $110 billion in new money for roads, highways and bridges, $39 billion for transit and $66 billion for railways, but he’ll have little oversight over the $73 billion the law devotes to power grids, the $65 billion to expand broadband access or the $55 billion for improving drinking water (see Rollcall).

Now all eyes turn to the passage of the Build Back Better Act, the 1.75 trillion bill—which I summarized last week. According to The Hill, House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-MD), the House may vote on the full package Thursday or Friday. But there’s a catch. Readers may remember that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) was to evaluate the proposed legislation to ascertain what impact the proposed legislation will have on the Federal deficit. CBO has issued a report—not a final score. Now, Dems hope to bring the bill to a vote, “provided the moderates are satisfied with the provisional cost reports that the CBO has been releasing intermittently over the last several weeks.” Meantime, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WVA) is still concerned about the economic impact of this legislation—specifically, will it increase inflation. Senator Manchin has long argued for slowing down and carefully considering the potential impact of this legislation.

Of course, Wednesday Wonk readers know that in early December, both the continuing resolution—which keeps the Federal government up and running—expires on December 3rd. Readers should note that what the Congress will probably do is pass short-term extensions. Why on earth postpone the inevitable? Because it’s really tough to negotiate in a pressure cooker! Sometimes, a week or two can lead to constructive legislation.

Resources for smart readers. So how does the Wonk stay informed? What is the secret to knowing what’s really happening on Capitol Hill? The Wonk goes to several websites every day. It is imperative that you read from a variety of sources! If you only go to one source—how can you possibly get solid information? Likewise, when I worked on the Hill, I spoke to several different people about a bill. When the stories began to agree, I knew I had my facts right! Here are a few of my “go-to” websites:

• • • The Hill: I confess: The Hill is my favorite! I find it to be accurate. Moreover, it is updated regularly—a big plus when legislation is at a critical juncture.
    • The Washington Post: Needless to say, The Post is a must-read, especially for important editorials.
    • Politico: Politico is the website I glance at in the morning—picking out articles I need to read later in the day. They always have something important to say.
    • Roll Call: Roll Call has been around for many years—and it shows! They always know what they’re talking about.

The Wonk is taking a few weeks off to rest, help Santa, and think about the next step in my writing career!

I’ll try to update you in a couple of weeks.  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE Wednesday Wonk!!!

I’m grateful to each of you!