Romney predicted that the Senate would support the Senate's proposal, although it hasn't been drafted, as it aims to spend nearly $600 billion on new roads, bridges, and broadband spending. It will require at least 60 votes, with at least 10 Republicans. Some of the needed GOP votes were lost on Friday when Biden stated that if the bipartisan bill was the only one available, I will not sign it.Sen. Rob Portman (Republican from Ohio), was the GOP's lead negotiator on ABCs This Week. We can now move forward.Senator Jon Tester (D.Mont. A member of the group stated on CBS News' Face the Nation that he believes the legislation will get more than 60 votes at the end. Senator Bill Cassidy (Republican-La.). Even predicted that Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell might join the ranks. McConnell criticised Biden's remarks last week as "completely caveing" to the party’s left wing, and has repeatedly stressed his commitment to destroying Biden's progressive agenda."If we can pull it off, I think Mitch would be supportive." He didn't like the president throwing the wrench in the middle and saying, "Listen, the two of you are tied together," Cassidy stated on NBC's Meet the Press.On Sunday, the warm Republican comments indicated that negotiators will be able to begin drafting legislation over the two week July Fourth recess. This legislation will provide the largest investment in U.S. infrastructure history. There are many opportunities for this effort to be stalled, but Biden's efforts to reassure Republicans and to acknowledge Saturday that they were understandably upset seems to have paid off.Party leaders and an Appalachian swing vote are shaping the larger Democratic spending bill for child care, climate change and Medicare expansion.West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, the most unlikely vote in the Democrats' favor for this plan in an evenly divided Senate, indicated that he would be joining in the work on a larger, separate "human infrastructure" bill. To pay for the bill, he said he would support increasing the corporate tax rate by 25 percent and raising capital gains taxes to 28 per cent. These are compromise positions that will still upset Democrats who want to increase taxes on corporations and the rich.He brushed aside the $6 trillion price tag proposed by Senator Budget Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and stated that he would like to avoid deficit spending on this proposal. Manchin suggested that Sanders' ambitions could be reduced by 75 percent or more to win his vote.Manchin stated on This Week that if they believe in reconciliation, I will throw caution to the wind, go to $5 trillion, $6 trillion, when we can only afford $1 Trillion, $1.5 Trillion, or maybe $2 Trillion, then they can't be there.Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader, stated that he would like the Senate to review the bipartisan infrastructure plan in July and also pass a budget resolution establishing the separate, partisan bill. The second bill must have the support of the Senate Democrats in order to be approved. However, it can still avoid a GOP filibuster.Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated that her chamber will not consider the bipartisan bill if the reconciliation bill is not passed by the Senate.It is very important that the president knows that the House progressives as well as the Democratic caucus will ensure he does not fail," stated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D.N.Y.) in "Meet the Press." While we can appreciate this work and support collaboration with Republicans, it doesn't mean the president should be restricted by Republicans.First, Democrats will need to agree on a price for their budget bills. Biden will also have to convince Republicans to support the bipartisan plan.Although it is a complicated congressional strategy, it reflects Biden's approach to Congress. He balances his desire for deals with Republicans while stewarding a party that has become more progressive than it was a decade earlier. On Saturday, he made it clear that his infrastructure agenda was two separate pieces and predicted that both would be submitted to him for his signature.Other Democrats have suggested that they may oppose the infrastructure plan due to its omission of items they consider important. This is a mistake in my opinion. Some Republicans are now saying they might not support the infrastructure plan as I'm trying to pass the American Families Plan. Biden stated on Saturday that this is also a mistake. I will work hard to pass them both.
