Biden, bipartisan senators strike infrastructure deal

WASHINGTON >> President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that “we have a deal,” signaling a bipartisan agreement on a $953 billion infrastructure plan that would achieve his top legislative priority and validate his efforts to reach across the political aisle.

Biden made a surprise appearance in front of the cameras with members of the group of senators, Republicans and Democrats, after the agreement was reached Thursday. Details of the deal were scarce to start, but the pared-down plan, with $559 billion in new spending, has rare bipartisan backing and could open the door to the president’s more sweeping $4 trillion proposals later.

The president said not everyone got what they wanted and that other White House priorities would be done separately in the congressional budget process known as reconciliation.

“We’ve struck a deal,” Biden then tweeted. “A group of senators — five Democrats and five Republicans — has come together and forged an infrastructure agreement that will create millions of American jobs.”

The senators have struggled over how to pay for the new spending, but left for the White House with a sense of confidence that funding issues had been addressed.

Biden’s top aides had met with senators for back-toback meetings on Capitol Hill and later huddled with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Pelosi on Thursday welcomed the bipartisan package, but she warned that it must be paired with the president’s bigger goals now being prepared by Congress under a separate so-called the budget reconciliation process.