Pelosi announces bad news to moderates: no vote on infrastructure this month

Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate adopts bipartite infrastructure bill | Energy Ministry Proposes Rule To Increase Light Bulb Efficiency | Administration begins review of Trump bird habitat left open for mining Are subpoenas of members a wise move for Jan 6 select committee? House to cut recess, adopt Democratic budget plan PLUS (D-Calif.) Made it clear to grassroots Democrats on Wednesday that the House would not accept the bipartisan infrastructure package passed by the Senate this month, rejecting appeals from his caucus moderates asking for a quick vote.

The announcement, in his first call with House Democrats since the successful Senate vote on Tuesday, was widely anticipated. Pelosi, since the serious launch of infrastructure talks months ago, has taken the position that the House will not look to the $ 1 trillion infrastructure package until the Senate passes. a much larger $ 3.5 trillion package packed with Democratic employee benefits programs and climate initiatives.

This strategy has been championed by progressive House lawmakers who don’t quite trust some of the centrist Democrats in the Senate and want to use the bipartisan infrastructure bill as leverage – critics say hostage – to make it happen. ensure the biggest $ 3.5 trillion package wipes out the upper house.

Pelosi, in Wednesday’s call, relied on the sentiments of those Liberals to make his case to postpone the infrastructure vote until later in the year.

“I am not independent. This is the consensus, ”she said, according to a source close to her message.

Pelosi congratulated both the Senate and President BidenJoe BidenBiden pushes to support Florida schools amid DeSantis Cuomo mask dispute resigns after investigation found he harassed divided female GOP governors over response to COVID-19 PLUS outbreak for reaching a bipartisan infrastructure deal – a massive spending proposal that the Senate passed 69 to 30, garnering support from 19 Republicans and all 50 Democratic caucus members.

But the president also made it clear that the infrastructure package alone is insufficient to address the challenges the country faces when it comes to economic inequalities, health care disparities, workers’ rights and social security. Global warming. These are the questions Democrats will address in the second legislative package, which is expected to be subject to special fiscal rules, known as reconciliation, which exclude the obstructionist powers of Republicans and allow Democrats in the Senate to pass the law. simple majority measure.

The Senate passed the budget plan early Wednesday morning, setting the stage for the $ 3.5 trillion package, and the House will return to Washington the week of August 23 to pass the Senate-passed budget. The $ 3.5 trillion package would include funding for expanding child tax credits, a community college, a universal preschool, and expanding Medicare to include coverage dental and visual.

“The president said he was all for the bipartisan approach… well done! It’s progress, but it’s not the whole vision, ”Pelosi said on the call. “The votes in the House and the Senate depend on whether we have both bills.”

The message is sure to disappoint moderate Democrats, including members of the Blue Dogs and Problem Solvers Caucus, who have urged party leaders for weeks to hold a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill as soon as it is released. would come from the Senate. Many of these centrists face tough re-election campaigns and want the chance to score a big bipartisan victory during the long summer vacation.

“If we have $ 1 trillion in infrastructure spending, I think we should vote on it,” the representative said. Scott petersScott H. PetersLack of Transatlantic Trade Cooperation Threatens Global Climate Change Goals Overnight Energy: Democrats Seek To Tackle Climate Change With Import Tax | Advocates say bigger deal needed to tackle climate crisis | Wildfires in the West worsen with 80 different fires Democrats unveil tax laws on polluter imports MORE (D-Calif.) Said just before the August vacation.

During Wednesday’s call, Pelosi also defended the Senate Democrats’ decision not to raise the debt ceiling of their budget plan by $ 3.5 trillion.

She noted that raising the debt ceiling does not allocate new federal spending, but simply authorizes the federal government to honor spending obligations that Congress has already approved in years past.

Pelosi also pointed out that Democrats voted to raise the debt ceiling when the former President TrumpDonald Trump’s Wyoming GOP leaders say they no longer recognize Cheney as a party member GOP governors divided over response to COVID-19 outbreak Senate gives Biden big bipartisan victory MORE was in office. Republicans, she argued, should do the same for Biden.

“Understand this, my colleagues, this is Trump’s money. … It’s paying for your tax scam, it’s paying for COVID. [It’s] a responsibility we all share, ”Pelosi told his colleagues. “This is money already spent.

“For Republicans to say they never will is generally irresponsible. “