The Republican senators that brokered the deal with the White House, Democrats, to fund critical investments in roads and bridges, water, and broadband internet, indicated they were happy with Biden’s statements that he was abandoning the “both-or-nothing” approach. Biden stated that he did not intend to issue a threat of veto on the bill in a statement he released Saturday, after 48 hours behind-the scenes maneuvering by White House.
Some Republicans who were hesitant to vote for the linkage have been able to express their dismay privately or publicly.
“Over the weeks and months of negotiations with Democrats, with the White House on infrastructure bill,” he said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union”. He stated that, if Biden hadn’t made the statement, it would have been difficult for Republicans to affirm, “Yes, we support this.”
He said, in reference to the larger Democratic bill: “We’re certainly not going to sign up on a multitrillion dollar spending spree.”
Romney stated that he believes there is enough GOP support in Senate to pass the bipartisan package and overcome any filibuster. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican negotiator, predicted that Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell would support the final bill, even though he has outlined a path back for the majority, which relies in large part on strong opposition to the Biden agenda.
“If we can pull it off, I think Mitch would favor it,” he stated on NBC’s Meet the Press. “I think Leader McConnell is for it, if the process continues as it is.”
Montana Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat predicted that the measure would attract more than the minimum number of Republican senators required to pass the bipartisan agreement in the 50-50 Senate. Although 60 votes is required to advance most bills in the Senate, he stated there would be “bumps along the road”.
He said, “We’ll solve those problems,” on CBS News’ Face The Nation. “I think that we’ll get more than 60 votes.”
Biden has made the bipartisan agreement a top priority as he attempts to fulfill his campaign promise to restore bipartisan cooperation in Washington and to show centrist Democrats that the White House worked with Republicans before Biden tried to push the larger package through Congress.
