Washington (AFP)

The United States Senate will vote Wednesday for the first time on a $ 1.2 trillion infrastructure investment plan which, despite an agreement in principle from elected officials from both parties, is likely to fail.

Almost a month ago, President Joe Biden announced that he had reached an agreement with elected Democrats and Republicans to invest this considerable sum over eight years, in roads, airports, water networks or the internet. High Speed.

But details remained to be finalized and negotiations between the two parties have continued for the past four weeks.

Although they are not concluded, the Democratic leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer decided to organize a procedural vote on Wednesday that would allow parliamentary debates to be opened on the text.

Republicans, who have a blocking minority, deem the process hasty and should torpedo the vote.

"We need more time," Senator Todd Young told AFP.

"We will have an almost complete plan, probably Monday, and then we will be favorable" to the opening of the debates, but "we will not vote today," added Mitt Romney, one of the Republican negotiators.

Discussions are stumbling over the means to finance these expenses, the Republicans having rejected a device which would have strengthened the fight against tax evasion.

If the vote fails, the text will not be buried.

"If we do not succeed today, we will try again," said Democrat elected Tim Kaine.

The vote will be followed closely at the White House, which has made the adoption of this plan one of its priorities.

Beyond "classic" infrastructures, President Joe Biden wants massive investments in green energies, health or education.

Due to Republicans' opposition to further spending in these areas, Democrats are prepared to move forward on their own on a parallel plan, currently valued at $ 3.5 trillion.

To do this, they intend to use a procedure specific to budget bills, which makes it possible to reduce to 50 out of 100 the number of votes necessary to adopt a text in the Senate (against 60 otherwise).

However, they will not be able to afford a single defection, which remains uncertain given the different sensitivities present in their ranks.

"We cannot afford not to make these investments," said Joe Biden on Friday during a trip to Congress.

© 2021 AFP