SENATE wing of the U.S Capitol building (Wikipedia).

A $1 trillion infrastructure bill proposed by President Joe Biden inched closer to passage Saturday when the U.S. Senate voted 67-27 in favor of bringing the proposal to a final vote.

According to the Associated Press, such a bill will have to wait until the required 30 hours of debate is completed. The bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives.

“We can get this done the easy way or the hard way,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York). One of 18 Republicans voting in favor of moving the measure toward a vote was Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky).

The bill is much smaller than the original White House proposal of $2.6 trillion.

The bipartisan plan now being considered leaves out money for:

• home- and community-based care
• research and development and manufacturing
• housing, schools and buildings
• clean energy tax credits.

What it does include (partial list) is money for:

• roads and bridges
• water infrastructure
• power infrastructure
• railways
• public transit
• broadband
• road safety
• electric vehicles.

Japan wins baseball gold; U.S. second

ALLYSON FELIX has won 11 Olympic medals. She’s pictured here at 2016 Games in Rio De Janeiro. (Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil)

As long-time manager of the Los Angeles Angels, Mike Scioscia is used to disappointment. He’s manager of the U.S. Olympic baseball team that lost 2-0 to Japan in the championship game Saturday.

It is Japan’s first baseball gold, and the first Olympic baseball played since 2008.

Overall, the U.S. is closing the final days of the Tokyo Olympics with a medal surge, winning top honors in women’s water polo, men’s basketball, women’s golf, men’s basketball, the women’s 4×10 track relay and women’s 400-meter run. Allyson Felix has been a standout star for America, winning  (or sharing) 11 medals in her career making her the most honored U.S. track and field athlete in history.
With the American gold rush, the U.S. continued to lead in overall medals and is closing the gap in gold.

Overall medals (as of 3 p.m. our time Saturday): U.S. (108), China (87), Russian Olympic Committee (69), Great Britain (63), Japan (56).

Gold medals:  China (38), U.S. (36), Japan (27), Russians and Great Britain (tied with 20).