Building on the victory of a $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the next priority for Democratic-controlled Congress on Friday: infrastructure.
“Congress must work quickly to build the historic American Biden Rescue Plan. Our recovery plan must Build Better for the People in every zip code, creating well-paying jobs for the future,” said the California Democrat in a statement. “To that end, I invited the chairmen of the jurisdictional committees to work with their Republican colleagues to create a large, bold and transformative infrastructure package.”
Pelosi met with the leaders of the committees that will assemble the package on Thursday.
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Pelosi said the bill will address infrastructure and also address “other critical needs in energy and broadband, education and housing, water systems and other priorities”.
She emphasized her hope that the project will be bipartisan, as infrastructure is an area in which both Republicans and Democrats have expressed interest. Former President Trump called for a “very large and bold” $ 2 trillion infrastructure spending plan last April. Pelosi proposed an infrastructure bill at the same time.
“Building our transportation system has been bipartisan for a long time. We hope that the spirit will prevail as we address other critical needs in energy and broadband, education and housing, water systems and other priorities,” said Pelosi. “As we engage in these job creation initiatives, we must discuss their impact on the federal budget, the creation of economic growth and the preservation of our planet.”
Biden presented a $ 2 trillion plan to boost clean energy and rebuild infrastructure during the campaign last summer.
It is unclear whether lawmakers across the corridor can agree on a package, as Republicans are sounding the alarm over spending after the coronavirus has eased. Senator Joe Manchin, DW.Va., said he wants to reach out to Republicans and would not vote for a bill passed through reconciliation, a budget law process that bypasses the obstruction.
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Republicans are likely to raise the question of how to pay this bill. Pelosi suggested on Thursday that the project would at least be partially compensated.
“We have to pay for part of that. We will have to find ways to cover the fees, etc. This is all a discussion that has to take place now,” she said at a news conference. “But there is no doubt that the most extensive maintenance of our infrastructure is maintenance-free. It only gets worse.”
Manchin, who has become one of the most powerful lawmakers on Hill due to his moderate stance, said the infrastructure bill could be large – about $ 4 trillion – as long as it is paid for with tax increases, including raising the tax rate. corporate tax to 25% from 21% “at least” and repealing parts of the 2017 Tax and Employment Reductions Act that disproportionately benefit wealthy Americans.
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He said he would begin his negotiation by demanding that the package be paid 100%. Otherwise, he said, the country’s debt could trigger “a deep and tremendous recession that could lead to depression if we are not careful.”