Liberals are wary of the GOP possibly trying to extend infrastructure talks by weeks or even months, which could potentially reverse the Democrats’ Democratic agenda while Biden talks back and forth with the opposition party about how big to go and when. But several prominent progressives also want to continue to give Biden space to try with the Republicans – to an indefinite point.
At the moment, the two sides seem very far apart: Biden’s initial infrastructure spending facility was more than $ 2 trillion, with a second part of the plan still under development. And several Democrats said Monday they seriously doubt talks with the IDP will yield anything.
Republicans have not indicated that they would be willing to spend more than $ 800 billion – a meager amount for the Democrats – and even that could be a bit. And while Liberals in Congress have yet to ask Biden to stop the talks altogether, it clearly indicates that his patience, just like theirs, must end.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) Said he was “afraid that Republicans, like waiting on Godot, will never show up.”
Praying “must approach the negotiations with an open mind and an open heart. But he must not procrastinate, “said Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). “It is the president’s responsibility to keep this process going. We cannot end months from now without real progress and no real infrastructure bill. ”
“He must be skeptical about Republicans,” Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) Said. “Mitch McConnell certainly gave a good reason for skepticism, given his strong opposition, even intransigence, to Biden’s proposals.”
At his last bipartisan meeting Monday afternoon, Biden told House and Senate attendees that he was prepared to compromise. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) Said Biden had asked Republicans to put together an offer within a month.
This is just the latest olive branch from the president to the GOP. His complaints to Republicans have eaten up more time than during debates over his $ 1.9 billion coronavirus relief plan earlier this year. Democrats then decided to leave the Republicans behind almost immediately after GOP negotiators introduced a bill that is less than one-third of what Biden wants. But there was also a clearer deadline when the benefits ran out in March.
The recent memory means that the current skepticism about honest transactions is cutting both ways. The GOP sees a president trying to reconcile his campaign persona as a dual negotiator with his record of encouraging Democrats to pass their big coronavirus bill along party lines.
‘We heard him sound sincere, didn’t we? “And when it came down to it, if there were votes, the Democrats did what they wanted to do,” Gimenez said after meeting with Biden on Monday.
“And the question,” the Republican in Florida added, “is, ‘Well, do the Democrats have the votes they need?’ ‘
At the moment, the answer seems to be no. Sen. Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) wants to pursue a potential dual agreement and is not a supporter of using the budget reconciliation process to avoid a GOP filibuster. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Biden’s ally, has taken a two-step approach to help solve the hurdle: a $ 800 billion physical infrastructure bill passed with GOP support, and a larger Democratic bill to chase it.
Even those in the Democratic caucus who think it would be easier to use their 50 Senate votes to exercise another massive package without GOP votes admit that they must first get the blessing of Biden, Manchin and others.
‘It’s the right thing to do in good faith. But remember, [there’s a] pattern … that cannot be repeated because they are just trying to stop time and burn time, “said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) about Republicans.” I would support using reconciliation, but you have to have 50 votes. And it is not clear that it is available to us at this stage. “
Rep. Norma Torres (D-California), who attended the White House meeting on Monday, said that although compromise talks are continuing, everyone ‘should work on a yes. Not some of us work against a yes and negotiate against ourselves, and others work for a no and negotiate a bill that is so important to our community. ”
How to pay for infrastructure investments remains the biggest obstacle to a dual agreement. Senate Republicans have made it clear that they do not support Biden’s plan to raise the corporate tax rate, and are led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (RW.Va.) to work on their own counter-proposal.
But any potential compromise with Republicans increases the risk of alienating the necessary progressive votes. Some liberal lawmakers have criticized the Biden infrastructure plan for not being far enough. Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) Said he did not have “much confidence” that Republicans and Biden could reach an agreement that could win 60 votes in the Senate.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said Republicans will have to demonstrate at some point that they have the 10 votes to overcome a potential filibuster.
“Then we have to see if there is any overlap and if the proposal will lead to us losing a number of people on the left,” he said. “And that will be the balance.”
It can be difficult for Democrats and Biden to determine in their talks with Republicans when they should end it. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has indicated that she wants the House to move by July 4, an ambitious timeline, even if the Democrats are just negotiating with each other.
Adherence to the deadline will be even more difficult if Republicans are also together.
“At some point, if you just see that there is no real attempt to bridge a fairly dual agreement, you have to go. Because that is what people are counting on, “said Ron Wyden, chairman of the Senate’s finances. “You get to the point where people get hurt longer than you wait longer.”
Melanie Zanona and Tanya Snyder contributed to this report.