Bipartisan infrastructure pitch gains steam on Capitol Hill as Biden weighs in from Europe

[Calista241]

Source: Washington Post

A bipartisan group of senators sketching out an infrastructure proposal expanded their base of support on Wednesday, even as they continue to haggle over how to pay for billions of dollars in new spending in line with President Biden’s vision for a massive overhaul of the nation’s public works system.

The initial framework, written by the likes of Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and seven other senators, falls far short of the sweeping infrastructure proposal that Biden has pitched yet aims to try to satisfy the president’s hunger for bipartisanship.

But their efforts received a big boost on Wednesday when 10 more senators joined the original 10 and said they supported the still-unreleased blueprint of a deal. The group includes 10 Republicans, nine Democrats, and one independent who caucuses with the Democrats. All told, they account for one-fifth of the entire U.S. Senate.

That, senators say, marked an attempt to prove publicly that this is a proposal that can win broad approval on Capitol Hill, even as an increasingly agitated progressive coalition is urging Biden to ditch his bipartisanship efforts and move onto Democratic-only efforts that would likely be much more expansive.


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/06/16/congress-infrastructure-white-house/

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So, 10 Repubs are onboard.

[PSPS]

1. "So, 10 Repubs are onboard."

So the story claims, but we're talking about a "still-unreleased blueprint" that is, nevertheless, described as "falls far short." It's probably something that the 20 senators would vote for but would fail in both the House and the full Senate.

[regnaD kciN]

2. More likely, if I know the GOP's playbook...

...is that they'll tout this compromise and get that to become the "official" bill -- then all vote against it when it comes before them.

[LonePirate]

3. If these 10 Repubs remain committed to voting for it, this bill can pass the Senate.

I’d say these 10 Repubs can find 5 more Repub votes, maybe more to vote with wet majority of Dem Senators to pass the bill with 60+ votes albeit with a few Dems voting against it.

The real question would be if the bill could pass the House. There will certainly be a sizable number of Dem House members who vote no without a massive push from Biden. I’m not sure there are any House Repubs that would vote for it. There may be some but I don’t think they number more than the Dem dissenters.

[PortTack]

4. Damn..can't find it, but read earlier that Thune had said they were free to pull out at the last

Minute scuttling the bill. It would be just like them to do that!

[Deminpenn]

5. Wake me up when 60 senators are on board

nt

[nykym]

6. Whatever deal is reached

all the repigs that said they support it need to sign on in blood.