House Freedom Caucus Chairman writes to Biden to oppose infrastructure proposal

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) Wrote to President BidenJoe Biden The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden Seeks Expanded Government, Tax Hikes Five Things To Watch For Biden’s Infrastructure Plan GOP Seeks New Line Of Attack Against Biden Economic Plans READ MORE voicing opposition to the White House’s $ 2 trillion infrastructure proposal, joining other Republicans in Congress in signaling their disapproval of the president’s plan.

“Mr President, although I recognize the importance of improving the infrastructure of our country, I cannot support your proposal based on all the information I have seen so far,” Biggs wrote. to Biden in a letter obtained by The Hill.

The congressman, who is the first Republican in Congress to write directly to Biden about his infrastructure plan, argued that the White House proposal “ignores our nation’s most critical transportation needs, is dominated by costly distractions and will add trillions of dollars more to what is already catastrophic – national debt. “

Biggs acknowledged that roads and bridges across the country need upgrades and admitted that competitors like China are making progress on infrastructure while the United States lags behind. But the congressman took issue with the inclusion of other priorities beyond traditional infrastructure projects centered on roads, railways and bridges.

“We shouldn’t be using an infrastructure bill to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on small business support, community investment, rural partnerships and child care, among other measures,” Biggs wrote.

Biggs, who heads the House Freedom Caucus heads an influential block of conservatives, joins a growing chorus of Republicans in crushing Biden’s proposal before negotiations even begin in earnest.

Biden in a speech in Pittsburgh earlier Wednesday detailed his infrastructure package that would spend $ 2.25 trillion over the next eight years to repair 20,000 miles of roads and 10,000 bridges, expand broadband access to rural communities and underserved, replace all lead pipes and services nationwide. lines to ensure clean water, invest in research and development and manufacturing, and expand access to home and community care.

The package would also aim to alter the weathering of buildings and modernize them to make them more climate-friendly, while investing in research to boost climate-friendly industries.

Biden is proposing to pay for the legislation by raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, which the White House says will pay for investments over a 15-year period.

Minority Leader in the Senate Mitch mcconnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden seeks expanded government, tax hikes The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Derek Chauvin lawsuit continues McConnell after Kentucky passes vacation law: ‘ I’m not going anywhere ” (R-Ky.), Sen. Rob portmanRobert (Rob) Jones Portman Trump meeting with Ohio Senate candidates turns tense: Democrats split on gun control strategy report (R-Ohio) and Senator Shelly Moore Capito (RW.Va.) are among Republicans who were quick to criticize the proposal, saying it contained too many Democratic priorities and hesitant to fund it by raising the tax rate on companies.