A bipartisan Infrastructure package will do more good for America

The infrastructure debate in Washington has been flattened into a binary choice between a big bill and a bigger bill. By the prevailing narrative, Congress must either pass a large investment package negotiated between Democrats and Republicans, or else ram through an even larger package shaped exclusively by the Democratic majority. Bigger, as some seem to think, must be better. But it isn’t. And even for those who want to do as much as possible to repair and improve the nation’s infrastructure, we believe the package the bipartisan group in the Senate is crafting together would do more good more expeditiously than any plan either party might seek to pursue on their own.

First, consider the policy implications. If Democratic leaders choose to pursue a bill that Republicans refuse to support, they will need to employ the legislative procedure known as “reconciliation.” But reconciliation is a relatively blunt tool that is supposed to be used only to change taxing and spending. That’s why the Senate parliamentarian didn’t allow a minimum wage provision in the COVID-relief bill passed earlier this year. Well, a good infrastructure bill needs to address a lot more than just money spent and revenue raised. It should deal with how infrastructure gets built and make sure improvements are both safe and effective. But any changes to labor, environmental and other key rules and regulations could well be thrown out by the Senate parliamentarian. Washington would essentially abandon the leverage it has to address not only infrastructure, but climate change, economic growth, and more.

Second, consider the economic implications. Over the course of the last year, Washington has invested vast sums to prevent the economy from falling into a COVID-related slump. And while certain industries (hospitality and dining, for example) have suffered mightily, others have thrived amid the chaos. Few will forget how companies manufacturing personal protective equipment profited from bidding wars between government bureaucracies and private corporations. Demand vastly outstripped supply. By overdoing its investment, Washington risks fleecing taxpayers again by creating demand that the economy simply cannot meet.

There are only so many cranes in America today. There are only so many engineers. There are only so many men and women with the know-how to accomplish the whole range of infrastructure challenges we face as a nation. And while we can certainly grow our capacity — and we should — absent the sorts of legislative reforms disallowed under reconciliation, costs will skyrocket, and taxpayers will get much less return on their dollar. The overall cost of any given bill does not necessarily reflect its output. Leaders in both parties need to be clear-eyed about what government can deliver quickly and responsibly.

Third, consider the political implications. Among the major challenges facing the nation today — immigration, police reform, election integrity — infrastructure appears ripe for compromise. Not only do the vast majority of voters want congressional Democrats and Republicans to work together — a recent Georgetown battleground poll [politics.georgetown.edu] found that, when asked to identify the most important issue facing the nation, “division in the country” tops the list of answers. But the expansion and improvement of roads, bridges, pipes, and wires would appear to be an issue where the forces working to pull partisans to the political extremes have the least leverage.

That then begs the question: If Congress cannot come to a bipartisan agreement on infrastructure, how can we hope to break the gridlock on more contentious issues moving forward? Where will the trust and good will come from that’s needed to tackle policing, immigration, voting or the countless other issues where a reconciliation bill passed with 51 votes isn’t even an option? There is now a group of 20 senators — 10 from each party — who have signed onto a bipartisan infrastructure framework. This is such an exceptional opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to do something great for the country, together.

It’s time to discard the notion that the overall price tagged onto a bill equates to the positive impact it will have on the country. Our contention is clear: We believe that a large, bipartisan investment in America’s infrastructure with support from leaders in both parties will make a bigger down payment on the nation’s future growth than an even larger bill that passes over the objections of a united minority. Here is a rare opportunity to reverse the vicious cycle that has turned Democrats and Republicans into perpetual adversaries. Americans deserve better from Washington. This is an important opportunity for Congress to deliver what the American people want.

Richard Gephardt served Missouri in Congress as a Democrat from 1977-2005. Tom Davis served Virginia as a Republican from 1995-2008. They are co-founders of No Labels, a group that seeks to move Washington beyond partisan gridlock and toward solutions.