FILE – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., talks after a GOP policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington. McConnell says Republicans are willing to spend up to $600 billion for roads, bridges and other projects. That’s far less than what President Joe Biden is seeking. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
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UPDATED 7:30 AM PT – Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he does not expect any Republican to support Joe Biden’s sweeping infrastructure package. During a press conference in Kentucky on Monday, he indicated conservatives are standing firm by their $568 billion counteroffer, which is focused on transportation infrastructure over the next five years.
This comes as opposed to what they call a “grab bag” of tax increases and commercial spending proposed by Biden. McConnell said unlike the Democrat’s plan, the GOP’s plan would not revisit the 2017 tax bill to pay for it.
“We’re open to doing a roughly $600 billion package, which deals with what all of us agree is infrastructure,” he stated. “And to talk about how to pay for that in any way other than reopening 2017 tax reform bill, which I believe and all my members believe is what created as of February 2020 the best economy in 50 years.”
McConnell added, Republicans would be willing to go slightly higher on the bill if it focused on traditional infrastructure.
Republicans have responded to Democrats’ “infrastructure” bill with a smart proposal to meet real needs.
Roads. Bridges. Ports. Airports. Waterways. Broadband.
Are Democrats ready to work together? Or was “infrastructure” just wrapping paper for more gifts to the far left?— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) April 27, 2021
Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) is leading negotiations on the GOP’s counteroffer. She said she hopes to come to an agreement with the White House and other Democrats in Congress.
“I think if you take an apples to apples comparison of the president’s plan and our plan, he’s not up into the $2 trillions when you’re looking a physical core infrastructure,” she explained. And so, that’s where I think our starting point is.”
Capito went on to say she thinks there’s a real hunger in both the country and Congress for compromise.
Had a constructive & substantive call w/ @POTUS about infrastructure. We both expressed our mutual desire to work together & deliver results for the American people. I stand ready to be a partner in advancing bipartisan infrastructure legislation—just as we’ve done in the past. pic.twitter.com/6mmcIYbqRA
— Shelley Moore Capito (@SenCapito) April 29, 2021
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