OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to be holding the Senate hostage over the Democrats infrastructure bill.
Pelosi and Democrats want to use the bill to force Joe Biden’s massive spending plan.
But other Democrats are calling on Pelosi to just pass the infrastructure bill itself or they will not support it.
Now, a handful of moderate Democrats have joined Republicans and are threatening to tank Biden’s massive spending plan if Pelosi does not allow the House to only vote on the infrastructure bill.
“Moderate Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick said Monday that there are likely enough GOP votes for the bipartisan infrastructure bill to overcome the number of Democrats vowing to block it, as centrists from both parties pressure House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring the legislation for a vote,” Fox News reported.
“Fitzpatrick, the co-chairman of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, also warned that moderate Republicans could turn against the compromise legislation passed by the Senate if Pelosi, D-Calif., delays the bill’s consideration or ties it to Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending plan they hope to pass via budget reconciliation,” the report added.
“If the BIF is stand-alone, there is significant Republican support,” the congressman from outside Philadelphia told Fox News. “If the BIF is linked to any other bill or held up for months, that support would fall apart.”
This means the 9 moderate House Democrats have leverage over Pelosi to force her into holding a vote on the $! trillion infrastructure bill.
And according to Politico, Pelosi railed against the nine moderates in a caucus call Monday night. She made clear that she is unswayed by their threat to vote against the budget resolution and said “this is no time for amateur hour.”
🚨NEW, thread: moderate Dems get backup from GOP in bid to squeeze Pelosi, force bipartisan infrastructure vote @RepBrianFitz tells me there is likely enough GOP support overcome progressive Dems vowing to block bipartisan infrastructure bill.
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) August 17, 2021
Speaker Pelosi reportedly said in caucus call tonight she was unswayed by moderate House Dems threats to vote against budget resolution until bipartisan infra bill gets a vote – sticking with progressives, who demanded it not move until human infra reconciliation bill advances
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) August 17, 2021
Earlier this month, Donald Trump raged against the Republicans who helped Democrats pass the infrastructure bill in the Senate and threatened to withhold endorsements.
“Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill is a disgrace. If Mitch McConnell was smart, which we’ve seen no evidence of, he would use the debt ceiling card to negotiate a good infrastructure package,” he said in the email.
“This is a 2,700-page bill that no one could have possibly read—they would have needed to take speed reading courses. It is a gift to the Democrat Party, compliments of Mitch McConnell and some RINOs, who have no idea what they are doing. There is very little on infrastructure in all of those pages. Instead, they track your driving so they can tax you. It is Joe Biden’s form of a gas tax but far bigger, far higher, and, mark my words, far worse. They want to track you everywhere you go and watch everything you do!” he added.
“Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill will be used against the Republican Party in the upcoming elections in 2022 and 2024. It will be very hard for me to endorse anyone foolish enough to vote in favor of this deal,” Trump said.
“Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats understand that this is the way to get the horrendous $3.5 trillion, actually $5 trillion, Green New Deal bill done in the House. Mitch is playing right into Nancy’s hands, not to mention the fact Chuck Schumer is already going around saying this is a big victory for the Democrats. Whether it’s the House or the Senate, think twice before you approve this terrible deal,” he added.
“Republicans should wait until after the Midterms when they will gain all the strength they’ll need to make a good deal, but remember, you already have the card, it’s called the debt ceiling, which the Democrats threatened us with constantly,” Trump said.
