For Democrats, including Washington state Rep. Pramila Jayapal, President Joe Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure package is about more than highways, railways, bridges and broadband access.
In fact, Democrats and Republicans are backing salmon recovery and the thinning and management of forests to better protect against wildfire. That and many other things make up the infrastructure bill that progressive Democrats say depends on the passage of the $3.5 trillion budget plan for social and climate efforts.
The people who want the bi-partisan infrastructure bill to pass will also have to vote on the $3.5 trillion budget, and vice versa.
Senate Democrats unwrapped the budget resolution Monday encompassing the $3.5 trillion, 10-year cascade of federal resources, aimed at family support, health and education programs and an aggressive drive to heal the climate, the Associated Press reports.
Jayapal is the leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. It has been characterized that the caucus could end up ruining the infrastructure package, taking funding away from everyone.
"I think the real characterization, is that anybody who doesn't vote for the president's agenda shouldn't really consider themselves a Democrat - that's what we did," said Jayapal.
"So we have to deliver on big things because when you think about it, if we create a bunch of jobs by creating investments into infrastructure, but we don't allow women to participate by actually funding universal childcare or paid leave, we're leaving out 50% of the population into getting those jobs," she continued.
Jayapal believes the caucus is going to get what they're looking for.
"Remember, this is not just a progressive agenda, this is President Biden's agenda. This is the agenda that the Democrats ran on in the House, the Senate and the White House," Jayapal said.