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Key House Republicans Balk At Saving $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill From Progressive Boycott

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This article is more than 2 years old.
Updated Sep 20, 2021, 08:57pm EDT

Topline

 As House progressives threaten to withhold dozens of votes to pass a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill if it comes up for a vote in the coming weeks, several Republican members of a bipartisan group that backed the bill say they have no plans to rescue it.

Key Facts

Two members of the Problem Solvers Caucus – Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) and Mike Bost (R-Ill.) – told Forbes they won’t vote for the bill, while another, Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), said he has a “tremendous amount of discomfort” with it.

Several caucus members and moderate Republicans said they are still undecided on the bill, and only two members of the caucus, Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), say they are supportive of it.

Progressives say they have dozens of votes to deny passage if at least $3.5 trillion in reconciliation spending is not passed by both chambers of Congress beforehand: Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), one of the leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, estimated 40 to 50 votes, and possibly more.

That puts House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a tough position after she committed to giving moderate Democrats a vote on the infrastructure bill by September 27, with some moderates threatening to tank reconciliation if infrastructure doesn’t pass by that date.

Fitzpatrick, the Republican leader of the Problem Solvers Caucus, said there are “a lot of open minds” in the group but added that supporters of the bill acknowledged early on it would be a “challenge” to overcome major progressive opposition.

It’s not clear if Republican leaders will whip votes against the bill, but House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is a firm no and Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), the chair of the 153-member Republican Study Committee, said “most” of his members are against it as well.

Key Background

Right-wing Republicans have placed significant pressure on their moderate colleagues not to back the infrastructure bill. Former President Donald Trump in July threatened “lots of primaries” for Senate Republicans who voted for the bill, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said last month she will fund primary challengers against any House members who vote for it.

Big Number

19. That’s the number of Senate Republicans who voted to pass the infrastructure bill, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who voted to pass the infrastructure bill last month despite Trump’s threats. Fitzpatrick, pointing to that bipartisan support, said, “I have to think that it’s gonna pass at some point.”

Chief Critic

“Not possible,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Progressive Caucus, said of Republicans saving the infrastructure bill if progressives vote against it. Jayapal said a majority of her 96-member caucus are in line with plans to vote against it, adding, “I’m very confident about our number.”

What To Watch For

Democratic leaders are signaling they may blow past September 27. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn said in a CNN interview Sunday that there is a “possibility” the vote on infrastructure gets “delayed.” But moderate Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) told Politico on Monday, “If they delay the vote — or it goes down — then I think you can kiss reconciliation goodbye.”

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