US President Joe Biden spoke with Democratic Senator Krysten Sinema about the bipartisan agreement on infrastructure, the White House reported Friday, and reiterated his support for a “two-track” legislative process that includes a second bill. of “reconciliation” law.
The second measure would be approved by means of a maneuver of the Senate called “reconciliation”, that would allow its entrance in force without the votes of the republicans.
“The president reiterated his strong support for both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a reconciliation bill containing the American Families Plan that advances in a two-way system, as he said yesterday when meeting with the press with the group. bipartisan of ten senators, “the White House said in a statement.
After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said early Thursday that her House would not vote on the first infrastructure package unless the second reconciliation bill was approved by the Senate, Biden publicly seconded the idea.
“I hope that in the coming months of this summer, before the fiscal year ends, we will have voted on this bill, the infrastructure bill, as well as voted on the budget resolution,” Biden told reporters on Thursday. “But if I only get one, I won’t sign it. It’s in tandem.”
Some Republicans in Congress, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have opposed linking the two bills, accusing Biden of negotiating in bad faith.
A Republican source familiar with Thursday’s meeting at the White House said the reconciliation issue came up only briefly and without pressure from the administration on Republican or Democratic lawmakers present.
Republicans later said they were surprised by Biden’s comment that he would not sign the bipartisan legislation on his own and that the measure would have to move along with reconciliation.
A Republican adviser said lawmakers expected partisan tactics from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pelosi, but that Biden’s overt involvement was overstated, after what appeared to be good faith negotiations.
“You have all heard the president say on multiple occasions publicly that he wanted to move these bills forward in parallel tracks, and that is exactly what is happening,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. “That was not a secret, he did not say it quietly. He did not even whisper it. He said it out loud.”
“The leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate are going to determine the sequence, the timetable, and he hopes to sign both pieces of legislation,” he said.
