Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) asks questions during a joint National Security and Government Affairs and Senate Rules and Administration hearing to discuss the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol on March 3, 2021 in Washington, DC.
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Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri on Sunday urged the Biden administration to reduce its $ 2 trillion infrastructure plan to about $ 615 billion and focus on rebuilding physical infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Blunt, the fourth Republican in the Senate, argued that only 30% of the president’s proposal focuses on traditional infrastructure and said lowering the price would allow the White House to pass the bill. law by both houses of Congress.
“I think there will be an easy victory for the White House here if they get that victory, which is to turn it into an infrastructure package, which accounts for about 30%, even if you define some the definition of “infrastructure, it’s about 30% of the $ 2.25. We’re talking about spending,” Blunt said.
“If we went back and looked at roads, bridges, ports and airports, and maybe even groundwater systems and broadband, I would still be talking about less than 30% of this whole package,” he added. .
“I think 30% is about $ 615 billion,” Blunt said. “I think you can do that and, with some innovative things, like looking at how we will deal with the use of the road system with electric vehicles, what we can do with public-private partnerships.”
Statements by leading Republicans follow Biden’s introduction of the infrastructure package last week, which focuses on rebuilding roads, bridges and airports, expanding broadband access and combating climate change through the promotion of the use of electric vehicles and the updating of the country’s electricity network. The proposal also includes raising the corporate tax rate to 28% to offset the expense.
Biden has said he wants bipartisan support for the plan, but the chances are slim. Republicans have strongly opposed any tax hike, arguing that it could hinder economic recovery. Republicans have also criticized the package for including initiatives that extend beyond traditional infrastructure issues.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Said last week that the $ 2 trillion package would not receive Republican support and pledged to oppose the broader democratic agenda .
“I’m going to fight them every step of the way, because I think that’s the wrong recipe for the United States,” McConnell said at a news conference Thursday.
Democrats should use the budget reconciliation process to pass the bill on their own, unless the White House changes the proposal to satisfy Republicans or 10 Senate Republicans who break with McConnell.
The Biden administration approved the $ 1.9 pandemic relief package in March without a Republican vote through budget reconciliation and could take a similar approach to infrastructure.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Sunday she expects the proposal to pass with bipartisan support, but added that Biden is ready to use reconciliation without Republicans.
“So much of that includes priorities that Republicans have supported, so I hope Democrats and Republicans can participate in the final vote‘ yes ’on this package,” Granholm said in an interview with CNN.
Brian Deese, director of the National Economic Council, said Sunday that Biden’s infrastructure plan is key to stimulating employment growth as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re also thinking in the long run, about what investments we can make that will really drive not only more job growth, but better job growth,” Deese said in an interview with Fox News. “Not just short-term employment growth, but long-term employment growth by investing in our infrastructure.”