Dems signal limited patience for GOP opposition to infrastructure package

— Top Senate Democrats on Tuesday signaled they may have no choice but to bypass Republicans in order to advance President Joe Biden’s roughly $2 trillion infrastructure package, as GOP leaders continued to attack the plan over the scope of its spending and the tax increases the White House has proposed to pay for it.

The political schisms seemed only to widen a day after Biden invited lawmakers from both parties to the White House, illustrating the significant obstacles the president faces if he hopes to craft a swift bipartisan deal. Biden has said a massive package is necessary to upgrade the country’s roads, bridges and waterways as well as rebuild schools, improve broadband services and provide more home care for the elderly.

At a weekly party lunch, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats remain committed to addressing the country’s infrastructure needs with Republican support, according to party aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private gathering. But Schumer still acknowledged that Democrats have at their disposal the ability to use a budget process, known as reconciliation, to adopt the president’s so-called American Jobs Plan using only 51 votes.

Exiting the huddle, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., one of Biden’s closest allies in Congress, predicted to reporters on Tuesday that it is “likely we will end up” relying on reconciliation in the end to pass much of the president’s proposal, adding Democrats still should “first do everything we reasonably can to negotiate bipartisan bills with the other side.”

Asked if Democrats broadly support that strategy, Coons replied, “We’ll see. We just had a vigorous discussion. I’m very hopeful.”

Senate Republicans, meanwhile, escalated their attacks on the president’s infrastructure blueprint, suggesting they do not feel immediate political pressure to cut a deal. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and fellow party leaders took particular aim at the president’s plan to finance the package by raising corporate tax rates to 28% from 21%. Such a change would partially undo tax cuts enacted during the Trump administration.

“I don’t think there’s going to be much if any sentiment among Senate Republicans for undoing the 2017 tax bill,” McConnell said.