It’s not clear if the failure of the bipartisan deal would force an increase in the $3.5 trillion price tag of Democrats' separate proposal.
The Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure negotiators are hustling to finish their bill as Republicans push for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to move a Wednesday test vote that’s likely to fail.
The bipartisan group is meeting Tuesday afternoon, after a two-hour Zoom session Monday night with the White House. Though participants reported progress on that call, some in the group say the talks are likely to drag into next week given the size and scale of both the potential bill — with nearly $600 billion new spending — as well as disagreements over how to pay for it.
Schumer has set up a Wednesday vote to advance the bill, but GOP leaders signaled Tuesday that Republicans wouldn’t support even beginning debate on legislation that remains unwritten. Schumer insisted it is “not a fish or cut bait moment,” but added that the Senate needed to start the process this week in order to finish the legislation before the August recess.
Schumer also offered the bipartisan group more time to negotiate, if Senate Republicans agree to move forward Wednesday. If the cross-aisle legislation is not finished by Thursday, Schumer said the Senate could consider elements of the underlying infrastructure framework that have already passed key committees.
But that did not appease Republicans, many of whom want to see cost estimates from Congress’ nonpartisan budget scorekeeper before voting to start debate. Republican Whip John Thune of South Dakota said he expected 50 Republican no votes, including the bipartisan negotiators.
And Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the lead GOP negotiator, said Tuesday that the group was still waiting for the legislation to be scored by the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Tax Committee.
Republican negotiators are considering sending a letter to Schumer asking him to delay the vote to next week. But given that Schumer has already started the floor proceedings, the most straightforward path to moving the vote would require buy-in from all 100 senators. And Democrats are supportive of Schumer’s move.
Reference: Politico
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