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Biden and Congress face a summer grind to create legislation

FILE - In this May 12, 2021, file photo President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with congressional leaders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. From left, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., Vice President Kamala, Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y. Congress is hunkered down, grinding through an eight-week stretch as the president's Democratic allies in the House and Senate try to shape his big infrastructure ideas into bills that could actually be signed into law. Perhaps not since the drafting of Obamacare more than a decade ago has Washington tried a legislative lift as heavy as this. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
FILE - In this May 12, 2021, file photo President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with congressional leaders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. From left, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., Vice President Kamala, Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y. Congress is hunkered down, grinding through an eight-week stretch as the president's Democratic allies in the House and Senate try to shape his big infrastructure ideas into bills that could actually be signed into law. Perhaps not since the drafting of Obamacare more than a decade ago has Washington tried a legislative lift as heavy as this. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) FILE - In this May 12, 2021, file photo President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with congressional leaders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. From left, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., Vice President Kamala, Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y. Congress is hunkered down, grinding through an eight-week stretch as the president's Democratic allies in the House and Senate try to shape his big infrastructure ideas into bills that could actually be signed into law. Perhaps not since the drafting of Obamacare more than a decade ago has Washington tried a legislative lift as heavy as this. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

By Lisa Mascaro 6 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Until recently, the act of governing seemed to happen at the speed of presidential tweets. But now President Joe Biden is settling in for what appears will be a long, summer slog of legislating.

Congress is hunkered down, the House and Senate grinding through a monthslong stretch, lawmakers trying to draft Biden’s big infrastructure ideas into bills that could actually be signed into law. Perhaps not since the drafting of the Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago has Washington tried a legislative lift as heavy.

It’s going to take a while.

“Passing legislation is not a made-for-TV movie,” said Phil Schiliro, a former legislative affairs director at the Obama White House and veteran of congressional battles, including over the health care law.

Biden appears comfortable in this space, embarked on an agenda in Congress that’s rooted in his top legislative priority – the $4 trillion “build back better” investments now being shaped as his American Jobs and American Families plans.