Biden to sign bipartisan infrastructure bill Monday

The White House announced that President Biden will sign the bipartisan infrastructure bill he helped negotiate into law at a ceremony with both Democrats and Republicans on Monday.

The ceremony will allow the president to take a victory lap for seeing through a bipartisan accomplishment in his first year in office. Biden campaigned on being able to reach across the aisle and work with Republican lawmakers. 

“The President will be joined by Members of Congress who helped write this landmark economic growth bill and by a diverse group of leaders who fought for its passage across the country, ranging from Governors and Mayors of both parties to labor union and business leaders,” the White House said in its Wednesday afternoon announcement. 

The White House did not specify which members of Congress, stakeholders or other officials would be present at the ceremony.

The House passed the bill last Friday, about three months after it passed the Senate, as Democrats united behind a plan to advance Biden’s broader economic agenda following weeks of party infighting.

Biden hailed the passage of the bill in a speech over the weekend, but said he would wait to sign it until members of Congress who helped to get it over the finish line could attend the signing ceremony. The House and Senate are out of session this week, and some lawmakers and administration officials are traveling overseas. 

The infrastructure bill passed with strong bipartisan support in the Senate in August, with 19 Republicans including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voting to pass it. Last Friday, 13 House Republicans voted in favor of the measure, a move that drew criticism from those within their own party.

The infrastructure bill contains $550 billion in new federal spending, which will largely be invested over five years. The bill contains funding to improve roads, bridges and passenger rail, update ports of entry, expand broadband access, build a network of electric vehicle charging stations and remove lead pipes, among other provisions.

The legislation is a key part of Biden’s broader domestic agenda, and the White House has embarked on an effort to sell it to the public since it passed the House. Biden is speaking Wednesday afternoon at the Port of Baltimore to tout the bill. 

Meanwhile, the White House is working with Democrats on Capitol Hill to advance the second piece of his agenda, a sweeping $1.75 trillion climate and social spending package that Democrats intend to pass without Republican support through budget reconciliation.

Progressives had initially demanded votes on the infrastructure bill and social spending package to occur at the same time in the House, but backed off that demand last week after a group of House moderates issued a statement supporting the legislation. The House advanced the package last Friday and is eyeing a final vote next week on the legislation.

Updated 4:21 p.m.