House Democrats are moving forward Friday with a plan to vote separately on passage of the bipartisan, Senate-passed infrastructure bill and adoption of a procedural rule for a sweeping social spending package.
Passage of the Democratic-backed human infrastructure and climate change legislation would come at a later time, due to ongoing resistance from about half a dozen moderates who are demanding a full analysis of the bill’s fiscal impact from the Congressional Budget Office before voting on it.
“In order to make progress on the President’s vision it is important that we advance the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework and the Build Back Better Act today,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wrote in a “dear colleague” letter to Democrats announcing the plan.
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) leaders outlined the potential plan after they emerged from a meeting in Pelosi’s office.
Voting on those two measures, even if it falls short of passing both bills, would offer Democrats a way to show progress after yet another day of uncertainty and gridlock amid reluctance from a handful of moderates to vote on the social spending package without a full analysis from the Congressional Budget Office.
“We’re gonna go and vote on the bipartisan infrastructure [bill], and we’re gonna vote then on the rule,” said CBC Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio).
But it’s not yet clear if the idea — which would postpone passage of the social spending package to an undetermined date — will fly with progressives.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) dismissed the idea that progressives would endorse a strategy that more explicitly decoupled the bipartisan infrastructure bill from the social spending package.
“No, you should be very surprised if that happens. Because it’s not going to happen,” Huffman tweeted.