The White House would welcome the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal coming to President Joe Biden’s desk as House Democratic leadership negotiates with rank-and-file members over the contents and timing of Biden’s agenda.
Biden wants Congress to pass the infrastructure deal and his $1.85 trillion partisan social welfare and climate spending package “as soon as possible,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Friday. This came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi advised lawmakers she was prepared to schedule a vote on the former, which has already cleared the Senate.
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Pelosi also informed her conference she hoped they would consider how to debate the latter to appease liberals who pulled their support for the infrastructure deal unless it was tied to the broader package.
“If it’s today — he’s working for today — if it’s today, that’s wonderful. We want to get this done. That is the president’s main priority,” Jean-Pierre said. “If the infrastructure bill is passed today, he will sign it.”
But the White House deputy press secretary declined to comment on whether Biden’s travel arrangements would change. The president is set to leave the White House Friday night for a weekend at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware.
Biden’s ever-evolving social welfare and climate spending package, sought to be passed by only Senate Democrats as part of the budget reconciliation process, is being delayed again after centrists insisted they would not endorse it before it’s scored by the Congressional Budget Office.
The House version now includes a national paid leave program, despite centrist West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin’s objections, and state and local tax deductions, a policy the White House did not propose.
“The president understands from both Speaker Pelosi and Leader [Chuck] Schumer that for this bill to pass, it needs to address the SALT issue,” Jean-Pierre said.
Pelosi’s plan drew quick criticism from liberals, including Congressional Progressive Caucus chairwoman Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.
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“If our six colleagues still want to wait for a CBO score, we would agree to give them that time after which point we can vote on both bills together,” she said.
