A long-sought bipartisan infrastructure deal lawmakers hoped to secure Monday could collapse because of a sudden dispute over the terms of the package that has left Republicans and the White House blaming each other.
A group of Senate Republicans had hoped to announce a finalized agreement on Monday on a measure that would spend $1.2 trillion on roads, bridges, water projects, and broadband expansion.
But Republicans now say the White House and Democrats are pushing for late changes to the measure that could sink the deal. Democrats say it’s the other way around — Republicans are reneging on spending for replacing lead pipes.
An aide to Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, lashed out at Democrats for anonymously claiming to media outlets that Republicans rejected an agreed-upon $15 billion to remove lead water pipes. The money, Democrats said, would be in addition to the $55 billion the two parties agreed to spend on water infrastructure.
‘EXPECT ENDLESS RETALIATION’: HOUSE RIOT COMMITTEE PROVOKES PARTISAN WAR
Democrats accused the GOP of backing out on a deal to spend $70 billion on water infrastructure.
“This is laughably false,” a Romney aide said.
Republicans, who have been negotiating with President Joe Biden for weeks, blame Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and say he tacked on the $15 billion at the last minute.
The dispute could put the entire deal in peril.
Republican negotiators had aimed for a vote as early as Monday on the bipartisan deal.
The GOP blocked a vote to start debate on the measure last week because it was in framework form, was missing cost analyses, and was still not fully agreed upon by the two parties.
On Sunday night, the White House sent Republicans its offer on a final agreement. That’s where things fell apart.
Republicans said the deal, which was supposed to work out a disagreement over transit funding and ways to pay for the bill, also changed provisions the GOP said had already been settled.
Republicans said Democrats expanded language that would require local prevailing wages to be paid for infrastructure projects.
Former President Donald Trump issued a statement Monday afternoon declaring that Republicans “are being absolutely savaged by Democrats” in the negotiations.
He urged them to abandon bipartisan talks on infrastructure until 2022 when Republicans might again retake the majority.
“Republicans, don’t let the Radical Left play you for weak fools and losers!” Trump said.
Schumer said on Monday that he is “fully committed” to bringing up the bill for a vote and added that the Senate would stay in session into the weekend to vote for the bill.
“It’s time for everyone to get to yes and produce a bipartisan deal,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Schumer criticized Trump’s Monday message, saying it is “a recipe for obstruction and gridlock,” and he called on the GOP “to ignore former President Trump. He’s rooting for our whole system to fail.”
