Collins notes ‘fundamental differences’ on Biden’s infrastructure plan

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said on Sunday that Republicans and Democrats have “fundamental differences” when it comes to President Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan. 

During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Collins told host George Stephanopoulos that negotiations over the package should continue after the Biden administration came back with a counterproposal lowering the bill’s price tag to $1.7 trillion.

She added that there are “fundamental differences” in the parties’ definitions of infrastructure, a major point of contention among Republicans.

“I think negotiations should continue, but it’s important to note that there are some fundamental differences here, and at the heart of the negotiations is defining the scope of the bill. What is infrastructure?” Collins told Stephanopoulos. “We, Republicans, tend to define infrastructure in terms of roads, bridges, seaports and airports, and broadband. The Democratic definition seems to include social programs that have never been considered part of core infrastructure.”

Amid ongoing infrastructure negotiations between the parties, GOP Sen. Susan Collins tell @GStephanopoulos she believes “negotiations should continue,” adding: “It’s important to note that there’s some fundamental difference here.” https://t.co/WTOoh8gB9r pic.twitter.com/nZ2ceXk7RJ

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) May 23, 2021

Collins added that she was glad that Biden was able to put a counteroffer on the table for the GOP but believes there’s already a bill on the Senate floor that covers what the infrastructure plan has. Collins said that, despite Biden’s counterproposal, the parties are still far away from working out a deal. 

“I was glad that the president put a counteroffer on the table, but if you look closely at it, what he’s proposing to do is move a lot of the spending to a bill that’s already on the Senate floor, the Endless Frontiers bill. So I think we’re still pretty far apart, but this is the test,” Collins told Stephanopoulos. “This will determine whether or not we can work together in a bipartisan way on an important issue.”