Pelosi admits defeat on infrastructure bill, says “more time is needed”



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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi raised the white flag on Friday night, admitting that “it takes more time” to pass a $ 1 trillion infrastructure bill that is one of the pillars of President Biden’s agenda, having previously promised to pass the measure this week.

While Pelosi promised moderate House Democrats that the infrastructure bill would be tabled this week, progressives threatened to sink it unless it was associated with a $ 3.5 trillion spending measure. , known as the Build Back Better Act, which includes a variety of social protection programs. .

Republicans are united against the larger bill, and Senate Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have refused to support $ 3.5 trillion in new spending, which means the bill law could not be passed by the Senate. So there was no point in Pelosi getting it through the House. And she was forced to give in on the infrastructure bill because progressives insisted that the other measure also had to be considered by the House or else they would vote against the infrastructure bill.

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The White House has been desperate all week to strike a deal with Manchin and Sinema on the Build Back Better bill, but to no avail.

“While great progress has been made in negotiations to craft an agreement between the House, Senate and White House on the Build Back Better Act, more time is needed to complete the task,” Pelosi wrote in a statement. letter to Dear colleague. “Our priority is to create jobs. In healthcare, family and climate programs is a shared value. Our presidents are always working for clarity and consensus. Obviously, the bipartisan infrastructure bill will be passed once we have an agreement on the reconciliation bill. ”

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Pelosi had said the infrastructure bill would be passed. She initially indicated that she would vote on it Thursday night, but she did not. Then she said it would be voted on on Friday, but was forced to change course again.

Following a meeting between President Biden and the Democratic caucus on Friday, it was unclear when the House would reconsider the measure.

Emma Colton of Fox News contributed to this article.

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