Moderate senators moved infrastructure bill along, but partisan obstacles remain
Testing widget old system
WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — A $1.2 trillion investment to upgrade America’s roads, bridges, waterways, public transportation and broadband internet now has real momentum thanks to a group of moderate senators who cut through the gridlock of Washington politics.
“It is important for the American people to know that they are first, not partisanship,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R, LA) said. “That the needs for the American people is on our mind, not the next election.”
After weeks of negotiation, the bipartisan group revived the bill Wednesday night, garnering 67 Senate votes to move the package forward.
“We were able to find a way with the right amount of spending, not too much, by holding down spending and focusing only on physical infrastructure,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R, UT) said.
The group said the bill is “mostly” paid for with unspent COVID-19 relief dollars and no new taxes.
Democrats in the group say it was tough, but feel confident their side will fully support the bill.
“I said it was going to be a new Olympic sport, closing a bipartisan infrastructure deal,” Sen. Mark Warner (D, VA) said. “My progressive friends…step back and look at this package. There is not a category in this package that is not a record investment.”
Still, not everyone is on board. The plan’s harshest critics come from opposite sides of the political spectrum.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D, NY) says progressive voices were left out of the deal-making.
Former President Donald Trump blasted the deal in a statement, saying “weak” Republicans are “giving Democrats everything they want and getting nothing in return.”
