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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday singled out Republicans who he said are not moving fast enough to approve the $ 1.2 trillion infrastructure spending plan.
“I said yesterday, ‘We can do it the easiest way or the hard way.’ Yesterday it appeared that some Republicans would like to do it the hard way, ”Schumer (D-New York) told the Senate in a rare Sunday session.
His comments came after Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) Said on Saturday he would not speed up the bill until the end of the standard 30-hour debate. This decision, if not overturned, would delay the final vote on the package until Monday or Tuesday.
Schumer said if he wanted to move the road, bridge and transit spending agenda faster, he needed the senators across the aisle to “cooperate.” Still, if some holdouts don’t comply, the body will pass the bill soon anyway, he said.
On Saturday, the Senate gave the green light to a measure ending debate on the plan – thwarting Republicans’ efforts to obstruct the infrastructure bill. Eighteen Republicans voted with all Senate Democrats to advance the measure.
“Republicans, even those who don’t want to support the bill, are very interested in working on the legislation, and they are doing it,” an insider told The Post. “Many Republicans who did not vote for this bill will be bragging about the things it does in their own local media markets.”
The bill then headed for an amendment process – which Kentucky Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said is needed to improve spending on infrastructure.
“There are many pending amendments which are important which would improve the legislation and deserve votes before the Senate is invited to vote on the final passage of the bill,” he said.
Schumer said on Sunday: “Democrats are ready and willing to vote on additional amendments to the bill before moving on to final adoption.
“Again, this will require the cooperation of our fellow Republicans,” he said.
“I hope they will cooperate so that we can move forward faster. Otherwise, we will continue with the book and finish the bill.
“In any case, we will continue until we have completed this bill,” Schumer added.
Hagerty said on Saturday: “I’m not trying to speed up this process at all,” according to Roll Call.
“I’m not the one delaying any of the amendments. … [Republicans] are free to start in normal order, ”said the GOPer.
“There is a normal process in place here. There is no reason in my opinion to allow this to be speeded up given what has happened here. “
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