Topline
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday pledged to wage a brutal, partisan fight over President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure proposal, the latest sign that Democrats will likely have to resort to reconciliation in order to get it through Congress.
Key Facts
McConnell vowed to fight the bill “every step of the way” because of its “whopping tax increase,” namely an increase in the corporate tax rate, though Biden said Wednesday he is receptive to alternative proposals.
McConnell said Biden is a “first-rate person” but criticized him for overseeing a “bold, left-wing administration” that proposes massive spending packages, expressing “alarm” over the national debt.
If McConnell’s warning that the proposal is “not going to get support” from the GOP caucus proves true, it would mean Democrats will have to turn to reconciliation, which allows them to bypass the need for 10 Republican votes to overcome a filibuster.
But that strategy could prove costly for Senate Democrats, who would require every member of their caucus to vote for the bill to pass it: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has said he would only vote for the bill if it gets bipartisan support.
Moderates like Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have not weighed in on the proposal, though Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) put out an intensely critical statement on Wednesday stating the tax increases will “hurt working families.”
Key Background
In addition to GOP opposition, the White House is facing difficulties with some Democrats as well. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which consists of 90 Democratic House members, said the plan “can and should be substantially larger in size and scope” in a statement on Wednesday. Some moderate and suburban Democrats have also vowed to oppose any plan that doesn’t include a restoration of the State and Local Tax deduction.
Tangent
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a press conference Thursday that she is “sympathetic” to the concerns of those members pushing for a repeal of the SALT cap but urged them to “withhold any comment” on the bill before it’s release. White House press secretary Jen Psaki was more pointed in her response during a briefing on Thursday, stating, “If they want to propose a way to pay for it… we’re happy to hear their ideas,”
Surprising Fact
Though many Republicans have dismissed the plan out of hand, a handful have signaled a willingness to work with Biden and Democrats to improve it. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), the only Republican representing New York City in Congress, expressed concerns about the bill in a statement on Wednesday but said she is “committed to working with my colleagues in Congress and the White House” to “develop a tailored, bipartisan package,” pledging to “work in good faith.”
