Democrats are hoping to pass President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan, paid family and medical leave, and potentially expand health care, including Medicare. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders expressed optimism that a ruling from the parliamentarian could open up more opportunities for Democrats to push their priorities through Congress. The parliamentarian's opinion allows for another round of reconciliation in the budget resolution, which could help Democrats pass major budgetary legislation without facing Republican filibusters. The process is full of challenges due to strict rules that limit what can be included, and Democrats would need to gather 50 votes for any proposal, which may be difficult for some of their more ambitious ideas. However, the increased flexibility could make it easier for them to pursue their most ambitious goals. This could involve breaking down some of Biden's proposals, such as his infrastructure plan, into smaller, more manageable pieces. Activists are also pushing for Biden to consider using reconciliation to provide a pathway to citizenship for certain groups of undocumented immigrants, including farmworkers, essential workers, and Dreamers. It is still uncertain when and how Democrats will make use of this opportunity. There is increasing pressure for the ruling party to explore new possibilities with their control of both congressional chambers and the White House. Senator Chuck Schumer sees the recent decision as a significant advancement in their strategy, but is keeping specifics about its impact on their legislative agenda, including Biden's public-works plan, private for now. The parliamentarian's initial guidance suggests that there may be further opportunities to use the reconciliation process before the fiscal year ends on September 30, as well as in the following fiscal year. Lawmakers will need to seek clarification from Elizabeth MacDonough on how to move forward. However, her decision has given hope to activists who have been pushing for Biden and Democrats to take a more assertive approach in using their power to push for significant policy changes. In the coming weeks, they are expected to ramp up pressure on the White House and key Democrats to utilize this new tool. Democrats are optimistic that the ruling could offer more flexibility in passing Biden's ambitious plans for up to $4 trillion in new economic investments, which include initiatives such as rebuilding electric grids, addressing climate change, reducing poverty, and empowering women in the workforce. Since Biden's election victory, his team has been focused on devising strategies to advance his agenda in Congress, which involves significant government spending partially funded by tax hikes on corporations and wealthy individuals. Following the Democrats' success in the Georgia runoff elections that secured Senate control in January, reconciliation has become a central component in many of these plans. It could provide a way to get around anticipated Republican opposition to the amount of pandemic aid needed by Biden's team, as well as serve as a means to push forward his broader economic agenda that includes funding for infrastructure, clean energy, education, and more. However, the administration has learned that not all of its priorities can be achieved through this process: MacDonough recently removed a provision to raise the federal minimum wage from Biden's relief package due to budget rule violations. Activists argue that legalizing some unauthorized immigrants would impact the budget by making them eligible for government benefits and increasing tax revenue, but it is uncertain if the parliamentarian would allow it to be included in a reconciliation measure. Schumer and Sanders have not yet settled on a strategy for using reconciliation. Sanders emphasized that prioritizing and sequencing legislative goals is a challenging issue they face daily. Despite this, White House officials maintain that Biden is committed to seeking a bipartisan agreement with Republicans on his infrastructure plan. Business organizations are also interested in reaching an agreement on the issue, despite their strong opposition to President Biden's proposed tax hikes, along with Republicans. The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, stated on Tuesday that Biden still believes there is a possibility for bipartisan collaboration on the issue. However, she did not rule out the option of moving the bill through a more partisan process, such as reconciliation, which is a means of passing budget-related bills in Congress. Psaki mentioned that the decision on which mechanism to use will be up to congressional leaders. At this moment, shortly after announcing the American Jobs Plan, the focus is on collaborating with both Democrats and Republicans, as well as their staff and committee staff, and inviting members to the White House next week. Lobbyists and congressional staff members anticipate that Biden will give Senate moderates a brief opportunity to work towards a bipartisan agreement on the plan, and will move forward quickly if no deal is reached. Psaki hinted that Biden is eager to see progress on Capitol Hill, hoping for advancements by May and a finalized package by the summer. Some administration officials acknowledge the challenge of passing Biden's agenda without using reconciliation, as it would require at least 10 Republican votes to overcome a Senate filibuster. A group of that size has engaged in negotiations with Biden regarding his proposed $1.9 trillion economic aid package. The Republicans suggested a $600 billion proposal, but Democrats rejected it as inadequate. Biden proceeded with his own plan, bypassing Republican resistance to pass a $1.9 trillion bill through reconciliation.