Sen. Mitt Romney is helping to lead the effort to salvage stalled infrastructure talks, telling reporters Tuesday the discussions are “in a good spot” and could yield a long-sought deal to fix the nation’s crumbling roads and bridges.
The Utah Republican told reporters in the Capitol Wednesday a handful of GOP senators negotiating an infrastructure package that could attract Democratic support expanded to about eight or nine lawmakers, signaling increased support in the Republican conference.
The group has not yet been in contact with the White House but would be reaching out if the plan attracts enough GOP support, Romney said.
Biden has spoken individually to some of the members, among them Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican.
Romney belongs to a larger bipartisan group of senators seeking an infrastructure deal that can pass the Senate. Democrats in the group include Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.
Romney is poised to play a significant role in crafting a bipartisan deal. Elected in 2018, Romney has stood out among Republican senators for his criticism and opposition to former President Donald Trump. Romney twice voted to convict the president when the Senate put him on trial for impeachment charges in 2020 and 2021.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, ran unsuccessfully as the GOP’s presidential nominee in 2012.
He’s now making a bid to cut a deal with the Democratic White House, telling reporters the group is trying to move swiftly to reach a deal.
“The sense of urgency is doing what’s right for the American people at a time when people want to see us making progress and working collaboratively, and the good news is, Republicans and Democrats as senators are able to work together and reach a compromise,” Romney said.
Romney said the GOP group is making progress toward a deal that can also attract Democratic support.
“We’re not dealing with the White House or President Biden or his staff at all,” Romney said. “This is only being negotiated between Republican and Democrat senators, and we’re in a good place where the numbers are still moving a little bit, but we’ve, I think, directionally landed in a good spot.”
The bipartisan Senate group began talks months ago, but its deliberations became more critical when it appeared infrastructure negotiations between Biden and Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito were faltering.
The White House called off the Capitol talks on Tuesday, not long after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, expressed support for the bipartisan group Romney is helping to lead.
According to Schumer, the new bipartisan plan “might be closer to what the president needs.”
Romney would not provide details about the price or scope of the measure or how to pay for it. Romney said he didn’t know what Schumer meant when he referenced the plan’s appeal to Biden.
Romney told reporters the plan does not raise taxes or implement new user fees.
“There are no tax increases,” Romney said. “And that’s a red line for Republicans.”
Romney described the plan vaguely to the Washington Examiner on Tuesday.
“We have a top-line number, and we have broken it up by category and by pay-for.”
Sen. Rob Portman, another GOP negotiator, told the Associated Press on Wednesday the group held a “very productive” meeting on Tuesday and the group is “continuing to refine a proposal that can get support from both sides of the aisle.”
The plan won’t include “human infrastructure” spending or major tax credits for electric vehicles, both of which are featured prominently in Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure package.
Biden lowered the cost of his plan in a bid to appeal to the GOP, offering a $1.7 trillion package that was reduced in price by cutting the traditional infrastructure spending Republicans support.
The White House rejected Capito’s offer to increase the GOP’s $928 billion package by an additional $50 billion.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden “informed Sen. Capito today that the latest offer from her group did not, in his view, meet the essential needs of our country to restore our roads and bridges, prepare us for our clean energy future, and create jobs.”
Capito said Tuesday the GOP presented a $1 trillion offer based on an agreement with Biden.
“Now, it’s apparently not enough,” Capito said.
