Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, one of the legislators who are negotiating on a bipartisan infrastructure package, said on Sunday that President Biden had “calmated” the waters – after roiling them several days earlier, saying He will not sign the law unless it is matched with. A more ambitious bill
“I took the presidency at his word,” Romney said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
When Biden announced a major infrastructure deal on Thursday, He celebrated the deal as a sign he could lead bitterly divided Washington politics. But he quickly undermined the negotiations, saying he would only sign the law if it was presented to him “in tandem”
; with a separate bill that included the Democratic Party’s other spending priorities.“If this is the only thing that comes to me I’m not going to sign a contract,” Biden said.
Democrats have taken a two-way process in two packages. They hope a compromise between the two sides in infrastructure can overcome the 60-point opposition threshold in the Senate. The law cost $1.2 trillion in spending over eight years. with new spending of more than $500 million
And Democrats aim to pass on a more expansive package. This is called the American Family Plan. Go through a complex reconciliation process for budget law. which only requires 50 points Allowed to pass a partisan vote if Democrats unite, the American Families Plan tackles other Democratic priorities, including education and climate change, and includes raising taxes for Americans who lucrative
Biden’s statement on Thursday surprised Republican negotiators like Romney, starting a busy 48 hours.
“Through weeks and weeks of negotiating with Democrats and with the White House on the infrastructure bill, the president’s other agenda has never been linked to infrastructure efforts,” Romney said on Sunday.
“I don’t understand the president who will take that office,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, DN.H.
other negotiators speak more frankly
“No deal by extortion!” Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., exclaimed on Twitter. “I never suggested to me during these talks that President Biden was held hostage for a bipartisan infrastructure proposal. unless a free reconciliation package is passed.”
Biden uses the phone in an attempt to salvage the talks. And the president issued a lengthy statement on Saturday walking back on his comments on Thursday.
“My comments also impress me to issue an order threatening to veto a plan I just agreed upon. That was definitely not my intention,” he said.
He added: “Most importantly: I pledge to support the infrastructure plan. And that’s what I intend to do. I intend to carry out that plan, which Democrats and Republicans agreed on Thursday with strength. would be good for the economy good for the country good for our people Without hesitation or hesitation, I stood behind me fully.”
Romney said on Sunday he took Biden “on his word” and added that the president was “Honorable”
“Many of my colleagues were very concerned about what the president said on Friday. But I think the waters were calmed by what he said on Saturday,” Romney told CNN. “And look, I called the White House. And the White House called each of us who were negotiating and said, ‘Okay, listen, we’ll make it clear what the president means.’”
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