WASHINGTON — As summer gets under way, it’s crunch time for President Joe Biden and the Democrats in Washington. Most of the President’s ambitious agenda has not been enacted, and there’s now talk Congress may have to stay in session through much of the summer if they want to get things done.

Last week, was seemingly a step forward for Pres. Biden: a bipartisan agreement in the Senate on infrastructure spending.

“We have a deal,” said Pres. Biden at a joint press conference on Friday.  “We've all agreed that none of us got what we've always wanted. I clearly didn't get all I wanted. They gave more than, I think, maybe they were inclined to give in the first place." 

But some Democrats aren’t too wiling to call this a victory just yet.

“Let me be clear: There will not be a bipartisan infrastructure deal without a reconciliation bill,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont tweeted on Sunday.

House Democrats agree. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California said the conference wants action on climate change, child care and more, priorities left out of the President’s deal with Republicans, included in companion legislation that Democrats can enact on their own through a process known as reconciliation. But, Senate Republicans are warning the president to keep the two separate.

“I’d like to see this get there, but I do think the only way we’re going to get there is to delink the two issues,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Minority Leader.

Capri Cafaro, an American University professor and former Ohio state senator, said that at a time of fierce partisanship, it’s hard for Congress to get things done.

“It's a heavy lift,” said Cafaro. “They can find ways to work together to find the low hanging fruit and consensus to be able to pass bills when they think it's important enough and when they think that there is enough public outcry to do so. But without, I think, a looming impending crisis, you don't see that level of fire brewing amongst members of Congress.”

The Democrats to-do list extends well beyond infrastructure. It includes agenda items like police reform and voting rights, where Democrats and Republicans are just not on the same page. Also on the list, enacting a new federal budget, and raising the debt ceiling.

“Democrats, because they're in the majority, you have to be very smart about how they approach their priorities,” said Cafaro. “And whether or not they decide that they're actually going to go home for the August recess without any kind of substantial progress on some of these issues, because that could really turn off the American public.”