Civic Register
| 8.21.21

Moderate Democrats Reiterate Call for House to Pass Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Before Dems' Reconciliation Plan

Should the House pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill before Democrats finalize their reconciliation bill?

What’s the story?

“We must pass the $1 trillion Senate physical infrastructure package immediately and send it to the President without changing it and without linking it to the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure package… In a deeply divided Congress, it is virtually impossible to pass such major initiatives, and any changes or delays will likely cause this one to fail.”
  • Several of the nine moderate Democrats are expected to face highly competitive re-election races next year, and the outcomes of those races may decide control of the House given Democrats’ eight-seat majority.
  • Democrats only have the ability to lose four votes from their caucus if all Republicans vote no as expected on the budget resolution, which leaves House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) facing a delicate balancing act between the moderates’ position and her stance on what should be the House’s priority. 
  • Pelosi has repeatedly signaled that she will have the House delay passing the bipartisan bill until it also has the reconciliation bill in hand and said at a June press conference, “There ain’t gonna be no bipartisan bill, unless we are going to have the reconciliation bill.” When asked to clarify, Pelosi confirmed that she is referring to the reconciliation bill, not the budget resolution with reconciliation instructions. 
  • The reconciliation bill itself is unlikely to be ready for consideration until mid-September, which means the bipartisan infrastructure could sit idle in the Senate for over a month after it passed the bill 69-30. 
  • Pelosi and progressive Democrats in the House have insisted that the chamber wait for their reconciliation bill to be drafted and passed by the Senate before they take up the bipartisan infrastructure bill. With both wings holding the power to sink the other’s priority in favor of their own, the dispute appears likely to linger until lawmakers return to the Capitol.
  • The House meets next week for what’s expected to be a brief work period starting on Monday. Votes on the budget resolution, and potentially the bipartisan infrastructure bill, could occur as early as Tuesday.


— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Capitol: iStock.com / Elisank79)

  • 43
    KenBudris
    08/29/2021

    I’m disappointed that my representative, Mikie Sherrill, was not part of this group. My number one priority when voting for any public office is to avoid partisanship as much as possible. I voted for Mikie Sherrill because she promised this, but her record to date has not demonstrated as much nonpartisanship as I’d like.

  • 67
    Cynthia
    08/26/2021

    pass the damn infrastructure bill in the house before you do anything else. THEN CONCENTRATE ON FIXING OUR FLAWED VOTING SYSTEM AND ALL THE REPUBLICANS CHEATING!!

  • 3,405
    Adel
    08/25/2021

    Pass reconciliation first! It will show that you can come back from your second vacation and actually turn something in so the people get the idea that you are actually doing something of the people, by the people and FOR THE PEOPLE!

  • 1,809
    Shari
    08/25/2021

    The terrorist party has spent decades defunding and shrinking the middle class. It is time we enacted legislation that actually does more than provide corporate and state welfare. I find it disturbing that states that take more from the federal government than they give have any say as to how federal money is spent.

  • 377
    MWETulsa
    08/25/2021

    Neither should pass. One is just 99% pork. The other is an out and out attack on traditional American values. Neither should happen in a heated economy with interest rates heading up and a deficit Congress itself obviously cannot comprehend.. The capitol is completely bereft of common sense.

  • 48.2k
    Brian
    08/25/2021

    I'm glad that the House was able to pass the reconciliation bill. There are more progressive Democrats in the House than these moderates who tried to stall progress. We must get these priorities done this year; the American people can't wait.

  • 1,271
    justiceforamerica
    08/25/2021

    Stop the madness. Turn yourselves in for all kinds of crimes. The military (minus Milley) be in charge to run a new election that is vote in person only and only with citizenship ID.

  • 138
    Janice
    08/24/2021

    All these pork packages are hurting this Country. We are sick of week kneed Representatives and Senators. Stop the bleed.

  • 1,022
    Deemax
    08/25/2021

    Absolutely not!! No to corporations!!

  • 184
    Marcia
    08/25/2021

    Take as much as you can get and then go after the rest of what you want. Our roads are crumbling, fires are polluting our air and devastating people, covid is running rampant because people will take cow and horse meds before they will take the vaccine. Life is getting crazier and crazier. Do what you can when you can. It may be your only chance to do something positive.

  • 320
    Michael
    08/25/2021

    The interests of the American people should take precedence over partisan interest and those of special interests. Congress should prioritize the bipartisan infrastructure bill before considering any bills like the $3.5 trillion plan that does not have support of most Americans. I encourage you, as my representative in Congress and the Senate, to vote NO on the extreme spending plan, while voting YES for the consensus infrastructure bill.

  • 78
    Cheri
    08/24/2021

    Pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill first in the House. You're Democrats' not republicans. Don't hold the bipartisan infrastructure bill as hostage to pass your partisan bill. I'm disappointed in the Democratic Party holding the bipartisan bill as hostage. You're acting like the Republicans to get your way. I want both parties to work together.

  • 198
    Beverly
    08/24/2021

    You have got to be joking! Why when we are in a Global Crisis does President Biden come out and spew his partisan talking points about his infrastructure plan? The bottom line in my view President, protect our American citizens and bring them hone before you try and hide your efforts by changing the focus.

  • 290
    Linda
    08/24/2021

    No the Reconciliation bill must pass first.

  • 225
    Patrick
    08/24/2021

    We need this bill, we can't back down now. To show the world we can be a better influence, we need to take action against climate change for the greater good, and make corporations pay for funding it for their greed.

  • 1,535
    Richard
    08/24/2021

    The vote will be too close to call by passing the bipartisan infrastructure bill first. That is costly enough. The 2nd bill is way too expensive and forces our national debt even higher. The national debt is now out of control from the lack of displine from Reagan, GW Bush, Obama, worst of all Trump and now Biden. Nothing is freee. We have a labor problem as it is. Raising taxes too much always fails and disrupts the market and capitalism.

  • 268
    Thomas
    08/24/2021

    Whether they pass the bipartisan bill right now or on September 30, it would not go into effect until October 1st. We have time to get other things planned out.

  • 694
    Hillcruiser74
    08/24/2021

    The 1 trillion dollar "bipartisan" agreement doesn't scratch the surface of our problems, however I would rather them pass it and move on to a more effective bill through budget reconciliation. The American people and humanity doesn't have time for political drama.

  • 21
    Louis
    08/24/2021

    To much Pork

  • 676
    Dan
    08/24/2021

    I think this bill needs to be passed as soon as possible.