President Biden
Joe BidenManchin throws cold water when it comes to using budget reconciliation. Moderate GOP and Biden senators clash at the start of the infrastructure debate. Omar calls on Biden administrator to continue “construction of Trump’s xenophobic and racist wall” MOREThe offer to secure bipartisan support for its $ 2.25 infrastructure package has started strongly.
His. Chris Coons
Chris Andrew CoonsOn The Money: Biden says compromise is “inevitable” in the infrastructure plan Is there likely to be bipartisan progress? | Democrats reflect on Coons ’tax hikes: the bipartisan infrastructure package is“ likely ”to be smaller, with no full funding. Biden says the commitment is “inevitable” in the MORE infrastructure plan (D-Del.), A close ally of Biden’s, says there will only be one month set aside to reach an agreement with Republicans and right now it’s not far off.
Biden already breaks with moderate key like Sen. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret Collins GOP and Biden moderate senators clash at start of infrastructure debate Hill’s Morning Report – Biden and McConnell agree on vaccines, clash on infrastructure 2024 White House aspirants lead opposition in Biden cabinet MONTH (R-Maine).
And possible Republican partners like Sens. Rob Portman
Robert (Rob) Jones Portman: Moderate GOP Senators and Biden Clash at Start of Hillicon Valley Infrastructure Debate: Intel Takes Resumption of Threats to Trump Audience | New small business coalition to urge action on antitrust policy Amazon backs corporate tax increase to pay for infrastructure Senators call for updates on SolarWinds research and Microsoft hacks MORE (R-Ohio) i Shelley Moore Understood
Shelley Wellons Moore Capito Moderate GOP Senators and Biden clash at the start of the infrastructure debate America’s infrastructure: get what you pay for Republicans, I don’t think Biden wants to work with them MORE (RW.Va.) have criticized Biden’s proposal to go “far beyond” the traditional definition of infrastructure.
It’s unclear to what extent Biden is really focused on gaining support for GOP.
In the Senate, Democrats are expected to use budget rules that allow them to move the package without Republican votes. Under the rules of budget conciliation, the package could avoid an obstacle in the Senate.
That’s how Biden got the quick approval of the $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package without any GOP support.
The White House has also been talking about the idea that if the infrastructure package has Republican support for the polls, it can be described as bipartisan, even if Republican lawmakers don’t respond.
Republicans say they can see the writings on the wall.
“Clearly, the Biden administration is looking to put points on the board immediately and create momentum and a sense of inevitability in relation to its legislative achievements,” said Ron Bonjean, GOP strategist and former assistant director. “The only way to do that in this kind of blocking atmosphere is to go through the reconciliation process and the Republican railroad.”
“Consensus-governed legislation will take time,” he added. “Biden has strong credibility with the American people right now. Their vote is very high. He doesn’t feel the need to create space for Republicans right now because it doesn’t affect his position nationwide.
“We’re likely to continue to see a pattern like this in the future,” he predicted.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Moderate GOP Senators and Biden clash at the start of the infrastructure debate Incitement: Modernization of the standard Note: Boehner explosions don’t move GOP MORE (R-Ky.) He predicts that Biden’s Build Back Better plan will not get any support from the Republican Party, a view shared by senior aides to other Republican Party senators.
This puts the focus back on Sen. Joe Manchin
Joe ManchinManchin throws cold water when using budget reconciliation On The Money: Biden says compromise is “inevitable” in infrastructure plan | Possibility of bipartisan progress? | Democrats reflect on Coons tax hikes that bipartisan infrastructure package is “likely” to be smaller and not fully funded MORE (W.Va.), the most important swing vote of the democratic group.
Democrats will have to win Manchin’s support if they want to move legislation to the Senate without Republican Party support, as then they could not afford to lose a single Democratic vote.
Manchin, in a publication published by The Washington Post on Wednesday, expressed concern about plans to move Biden’s infrastructure agenda through the budget conciliation process and urged his party to work with the Republican Party.
“We should all be alarmed at how both sides use the budget reconciliation process to stifle the debate around the major issues facing our country,” he wrote.
Senate aides and Democratic strategists privately admit that Biden’s infrastructure plan will not pick up any Republican votes. But they say it’s important that he make a public effort to reach out to Republicans so that Manchin and other moderates have political coverage to vote for a partisan bill.
“Schumer may say then that we can work in a bipartisan way, but it’s the Republicans who don’t want to,” a Democratic aide said, referring to the Senate majority leader. Charles Schumer
Chuck Schumer McCarthy is seeking information from the FBI and CIA after two men on the terrorist watch list were arrested at the Upper Lake State University border for first offering the cannabis chemistry scholarship. A Capitol police officer killed in a car attack will lie in honor of Rotunda MORE (DN.Y.).
“It would be great [to get] something done in a bipartisan way, “the attendee added, but it was clear to many Democratic senators that the chances of passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill are almost nil after not a single Republican the chambers have voted on COVID’s relief plan.
Democrats say they can strengthen their argument with Manchin and other moderates on the fence by bringing other bills with broad public support, such as legislation that expands checks on funds for arms sales or improving competitiveness of the US with China on the Senate floor.
Even those popular bills face an uncertain prospect of choosing the 10 Republican votes needed to get a filibuster. If they don’t get enough support from the GOP, it will reinforce Schumer’s argument that Democrats need to unify and approve Biden’s infrastructure plan by simple majority under budget conciliation, aides and strategists say.
“Nothing gets enough Republicans and Democrats to pass on these big questions,” said a Democratic Senate strategist, who said a bill on China’s growing threat probably has the best chance of getting 60 votes in the Senate, although this legislation has yet to be drafted.
The strategist added that Biden does not need to dramatically thin out his infrastructure proposal to please Republicans because his approval numbers remain strong and polls show strong support for a major infrastructure initiative.
“The calculation Republicans will have to start doing is examining the numbers in Biden’s polls. His attacks don’t seem persistent. They don’t seem to resonate outside of Fox News,” the strategist said.
Biden garnered 61% job approval in an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey published last week. A Reuters-Ipsos survey of 1,005 Americans conducted on April 7 and April 8 showed Biden an approval rating of 56%.
A Hill-HarrisX poll last month found that 54 percent of registered voters think infrastructure should be a priority and a CNN poll last month found that 61 percent of Americans supported the Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion US rescue plan.
It seems that the strong numbers in the polls have encouraged Biden in his interactions with Republicans and GOP senators do not appreciate it.
The president and a group of moderate Republicans shifted fire Wednesday when Biden criticized Republican Party senators for digging their heels in during pandemic relief talks earlier this year.
“I would have been prepared to make a commitment, but they did not. They did not move an inch. Not an inch, ”he told reporters.
This provoked a difficult response from the 10 senators who met with him in the White House on February 1 to explore the possibility of a compromise on the relief of COVID-19.
“The administration flatly dismissed our effort as totally inappropriate in order to justify its individual strategy,” they responded in a joint statement signed by Sens. Portman, Capito, Collins, Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski: Moderate GOP senators and Biden clash at the start of the infrastructure debate. Biden appoints deputy of the Interior like superior lawyer of the department. Candidates for the 2024 White House are leading the opposition in Biden MORE’s cabinet (R-Alaska), Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt Romney: Moderate GOP Senators and Biden Clash at Start of Infrastructure Debate Biden Administration Does Not Discuss Boycott of Beijing Olympics: Biden White House Claims March Wins as Recovery accelerates MORE (R-Utah) and five more.
Coons, a close ally of Biden, says the president will give Republicans until the end of May to agree on a bipartisan infrastructure deal and then move forward, with or without them.
“I think President Biden is open to spending the next month negotiating what the possibility is,” Coons told Punchbowl News.
If there is no agreement by June, Coons said “Democrats just do it in a big package and move it.”
Updated at 8:12 p.m.