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 new ruling from the parliamentarian could open up more opportunities for Democrats to advance their priorities in Congress. The parliamentarian's opinion allows for another round of reconciliation in the budget resolution, which could help Democrats pass important budgetary legislation despite Republican opposition. The process is full of challenges, such as strict rules limiting what can be included, and Democrats would still need to gather 50 votes for any proposal, which could be difficult for some of their more ambitious ideas. However, this newfound flexibility could make it easier for them to accomplish some of their biggest goals. This could involve breaking down some of Biden's proposals, like his infrastructure plan, into smaller, more manageable parts. Activists are also pushing Biden to consider using reconciliation for things like providing a pathway to citizenship for certain groups of immigrants. It is still unknown when and how Democrats will use this opportunity. However, there is increasing pressure for them to test the limits of what the ruling party can achieve with control of both congressional chambers and the White House. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York described the decision as a significant move that strengthens their position, but he did not reveal how it would affect their legislative plans moving forward, including the passage of President Biden's infrastructure proposal. Schumer mentioned that the caucus would need to discuss the best way to utilize this opportunity. The parliamentarian's initial guidance suggests that Biden and his allies in Congress may have another chance to use the reconciliation process before the fiscal year ends on Sept 30, as well as in the next fiscal year. Lawmakers will need to seek further advice from Elizabeth MacDonough on how to proceed. However, her decision has uplifted some activists who have been pushing for Biden and Democrats to take a more assertive approach in utilizing their power to push through significant policy changes. These activists are expected to ramp up the pressure on the White House and key Democrats in the weeks ahead to make use of this newly available tool. In the immediate future, Democrats see the ruling as potentially offering more leeway in passing Biden's ambitious $4 trillion economic investment plans, which include projects such as revamping electric grids, addressing climate change, alleviating poverty, and empowering women in the workforce. Since Biden's victory in the presidential election, his team has been focused on devising strategies to advance his agenda in Congress, which involves substantial government spending partially funded by tax increases on corporations and wealthy individuals. Following the Democratic victories in the Georgia Senate runoff elections in January, reconciliation has become a central element in many of these plans. Biden's aides considered using reconciliation as a way to overcome potential Republican opposition to pandemic aid and to advance his broader economic agenda. However, they have encountered challenges with this approach, as the Senate parliamentarian ruled against including a minimum wage increase in the relief package. There is uncertainty about whether legalizing unauthorized immigrants could be included in a reconciliation measure. Schumer and Sanders have not finalized a strategy for using reconciliation. Democrats are grappling with how to prioritize their legislative goals. The White House maintains that Biden is committed to seeking bipartisan support for his infrastructure plan. Business organizations are also interested in reaching a resolution on the matter, despite their and the Republicans' firm disapproval of Biden's suggested tax hikes. According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, Biden still holds the belief that there is potential for a bipartisan agreement on the issue. However, she did not rule out the possibility of using the more partisan reconciliation process to pass the bill. Psaki stated that the decision on which mechanism to use will be left to Congress leaders. At the moment, the focus is on engaging with both Democrats and Republicans, as well as their staff and committee staff, following the announcement of the American Jobs Plan less than a week ago. Lobbyists and congressional staff members anticipate that Biden will give Senate moderates a brief opportunity to work towards a bipartisan agreement on the plan, with plans to move forward swiftly if no deal is reached. Psaki indicated that Biden is eager to see progress on Capitol Hill starting soon, aiming for advancements by May and a finalized package by the summer. Some administration officials acknowledge the challenges of passing Biden's agenda without using reconciliation, as any compromise would need to attract at least 10 Republican votes to overcome a Senate filibuster. A group of that size has already begun negotiations with Biden on his proposed $1.9 trillion economic aid package. The Republicans proposed $600 billion, but Democrats rejected it as not enough. Biden proceeded with his own plan and bypassed Republican resistance to pass a $1.9 trillion bill through reconciliation.