Justin Bullock, FISM News
Legislative conflict is beginning to heat up on Capitol Hill as the bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed in the Senate and is now waiting in the House of Representatives. Both Republicans and Democrats in the House are eager to debate and pass this initial infrastructure bill but for now their desires are being foiled. House Leader, Nancy Pelosi reiterated that she will hold the infrastructure bill hostage and will not bring it to the House floor for a vote until the $3.5 trillion budget bill is also given to the House to vote on. The political goal is to put pressure on more centrist Democrats who have voiced a concern over the price tag of the bill.
However, Democratic Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz). have both indicated that they will likely not vote for the $3.5 trillion budget bill in its current form or any time soon. This leaves Congress at a high pressure impasse. In addition, some Democratic Representatives have told Pelosi that they will not support the $3.5 trillion bill as it stands currently. In every case, these politicians are concerned about the partisan nature of the bill in combination with its astronomical size. If the Democrats do decide to force its passing then significant consequences are expected to follow in the upcoming midterm elections.
Some House Democrats have already taken to social media asking Pelosi not to play political games and to bring the infrastructure bill to the floor.
Now that the Senate approved the bipartisan infrastructure bill, the House must pass it ASAP. While I support passing a targeted reconciliation bill to help FL families, we shouldn’t hold infrastructure hostage to it. I urge @SpeakerPelosi to put the bill on the floor this month.
— U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy (@RepStephMurphy) August 11, 2021