House moderates call for immediate vote on bipartisan infrastructure bill

Moderate House Democrats are calling for the House to immediately vote on the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Eight moderates, including members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday, asking her to consider the bill separately from Democrats’ $3.5 trillion reconciliation package that is expected later this year.

“We must bring this bipartisan infrastructure bill to the House floor for a standalone vote. This once-in-a-century investment deserves its own consideration, without regard to other legislation,” reads the letter, which was obtained by The Hill.

“After years of waiting, we cannot afford unnecessary delays to finally deliver on a physical infrastructure package,” they continued. “As we continue to recover from the pandemic, the American people are counting on us to drive real results for them in every single Congressional district.”

The letter was signed by Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chairman Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Democratic Reps. Susie Lee (Nev.), Filemon Vela (Texas), Henry Cuellar (Texas), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Ed Case (Hawaii), Kurt Schrader (Ore.) and Jared Golden (Maine).

Separately, leaders of the House Blue Dog Coalition urged Pelosi to take up an immediate vote on the bipartisan Senate bill, saying they “remain opposed to any effort to unnecessarily delay consideration of these critical infrastructure investments, which will create good-paying jobs, keep American businesses competitive, and grow our nation’s economy.”

The Senate voted 69-30 to pass the infrastructure proposal on Tuesday, which was spearheaded by a group of bipartisan senators led by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio). The deal includes investments for infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, broadband, water and rail. 

The upper chamber is now working on the $3.5 trillion Democratic-only spending plan, which Democrats are pushing to advance without any GOP support.

Pelosi has repeatedly said the House will consider the infrastructure bill with the broader reconciliation package, which includes a host of Democratic spending priorities including Medicare expansion, provisions dealing with climate change and other measures.

“Reconciliation will be a fuller reflection of our values,” Pelosi said at an event Tuesday.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced Tuesday that the lower chamber will return to session on Aug. 23 to consider a budget resolution to kick off the spending plan, cutting short the previously scheduled seven-week recess.