Topline
After months of difficult negotiations, the House of Representatives approved a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package Friday night. The bill was sent to President Joe Biden's desk. Later this month, the House will vote on a larger Democrat supported social policy bill. This is due to a compromise between moderates and progressives.
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House (D.Calif.), flanked by Jim Clyburn (D.S.C.),... [+], and Steny Hoyer (D.Md.). At a news conference held on Friday, November 5, 2021 on the House side at the U.S. Capitol Building, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The Key Facts
13 Republicans joined 215 Democrats to support the bill, which was known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The House passed it 228-206. Six Democrats voted against the bill, which was opposed by a group of progressives that includes Reps. Cori and Bush (D-Mo.). Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. After hours of confusion in House Democratic caucus, the vote was finally achieved. Progressives wanted to see progress on the infrastructure bill as well as a package of safety net and environmental measures. But moderates still had questions about the price tag of the packages and the overwhelming majority of Democrats needed support both bills. The two sides reached an agreement on Friday. The House Progressive Caucus indicated it would vote for infrastructure bill. Five moderate Democrats said they would vote in favor of the current spending package once the Congressional Budget Office has more details, but not later than November 15.
Tangent
This vote comes nearly three months after the Senate passed infrastructure bill with a 69-30 vote. Every Democrat and 19 Republicans voted in favor.
Important Background
Biden and other members of each party negotiated the infrastructure package, which adds $550 billion to federal spending. The White House states that it includes $110 million for roads and bridges, $39 Billion in mass transit modernization projects and $66 billion for Amtrak. It also provides $65 billion for broadband Internet. While the House Democrats resisted considering it, Senate Democrats with a slim majority negotiated over a larger set of safety net and climate provisions that they wanted to pass using a party-line vote under the Senate's budget reconciliation rule. The House progressives refused to vote for the infrastructure package before the Senate made progress with the larger social-policy bill. However, earlier this week, Sen. Joe Manchin (D.W.Va.), a moderate holdout, announced that he needed to review the package more thoroughly and warned that holding the package hostage to the Senate's budget reconciliation rule meant that Senate Democrats negotiated over a much larger set of safety-net and climate provisions. House progressives such as Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D.
What we don't know
It is unclear how the Senate will receive the social policy bill if the House passes it if they do so later in the month. All 50 Democrats must vote yes. Moderates such as Manchin object to progressive members making larger demands. The bill's price has dropped from $3.5 trillion down to $1.75 trillion.
