Wednesday, June 16, 2021

11 Republican senators agree to bipartisan infrastructure deal

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Eleven Republican senators said Wednesday that they have agreed to an infrastructure deal crafted by a group of 20 senators from both parties, meaning that the Senate could advance a measure without resorting to the reconciliation process, which would have enabled the bill to pass without any Republican votes, if all the Democrats voted for it. 

Mitt Romney wearing a suit and tie talking on a cell phone: Democrats Face New Pressure As Infrastructure Talks Stall© Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Democrats Face New Pressure As Infrastructure Talks Stall

But it is unclear whether this new measure will receive sufficient support from Democratic senators, who have raised concerns about funding for the bill and the exclusion of priorities such as climate-related infrastructure.

"We support this bipartisan framework that provides an historic investment in our nation's core infrastructure needs without raising taxes. We look forward to working with our Republican and Democratic colleagues to develop legislation based on this framework to address America's critical infrastructure challenges," the group of 20 senators said in a statement. However, they did not release any details about the breakdown of the bill, or how it will be funded.

The group comprises Republican Senators Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Lisa Murkowski, Rob Portman, Mitt Romney, Mike Rounds, Thom Tillis, Todd Young and Jerry Moran, as well as Democratic Senators Chris Coons, Maggie Hassan, John Hickenlooper, Mark Kelly, Angus King, Joe Manchin, Jeanne Shaheen, Kyrsten Sinema, Jon Tester and Mark Warner.

A smaller bipartisan group of senators announced last week that they reached an agreement for a proposal that would include $579 billion in new spending over five years — the deal that was agreed to by the larger group on Wednesday. This is significantly less than President Biden's $1.7 trillion proposal, a slimmed-down version of his initial $2.3 trillion offer.

The statement from the bipartisan group came as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer met with Senate Budget Committee Democrats to discuss a budget resolution. This would begin the process of moving elements of President Biden's broader infrastructure agenda through reconciliation, which would require a simple majority to pass the legislation, instead of a 60-vote threshold. Following the meeting, Schumer said it was a "great first discussion."

"I think there was universal agreement," Schumer added. "We have a lot of things we have to do to help the American people. And we have to have unity to do it and everyone has to listen to one another, and it was a good first meeting."


Video: Biden, Democrats reject GOP infrastructure counteroffer (CBS News) 

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