Sunday shows – Infrastructure, Jan. 6 commission dominate

Infrastructure and a proposed commission to study the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 dominated the Sunday morning political talk shows, with multiple guests weighing in on the topics. 

Senate Republicans last Thursday unveiled a $928 billion infrastructure proposal that includes $506 billion for roads, bridges and major projects and $98 billion for public transit systems. The latest offer is substantially more than the $568 billion infrastructure framework the group led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced in April, but it’s still far short of the $1.7 trillion counteroffer that White House officials came back with last week.

Senate Republicans on Friday then blocked legislation to form a commission to probe the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Read The Hill’s complete coverage below. 

Buttigieg: ‘I think we are getting pretty close to a fish-or-cut-bait moment’ on infrastructure talks By MYCHAEL SCHNELL   Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday said the Biden administration is “getting pretty close to a fish-or-cut-bait moment” when discussing negotiations between the White House and Senate Republicans on an infrastructure package. When asked by host Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union” if Democrats would “go it alone” on infrastructure if there is not an agreement next week, Buttigieg said that while negotiations have been “healthy,” the process “can’t go on forever.” Read the full story here

Sen. Capito optimistic that ‘real compromise’ can be reached on infrastructure plan By JOSEPH CHOI   Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), the lead GOP negotiator on President Biden’s infrastructure plan, said on Sunday that she believes Democrats and Republicans could still reach “real compromise” on the proposed spending plan. Read the full story here

Buttigieg defends Biden’s ‘responsible’ budget plan amid bipartisan criticism By JOSEPH CHOI   Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday defended President Biden’s $6 trillion budget proposal amid criticism coming from both Republican and Democratic figures, hailing it as “responsible.” Read the full story here

Gillibrand: ‘Only six strong souls’ voted with Senate Democrats on Jan. 6 commission By MYCHAEL SCHNELL   Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Sunday said it was a “problem” that “only six strong souls” voted with Senate Democrats for legislation to establish a commission to probe the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, referring to the six Republican senators who supported the panel. Read the full story here

House Republican says DOJ should investigate Jan. 6, not ‘politically appointed’ commission By MYCHAEL SCHNELL   Texas Republican Rep. Michael McCaul on Sunday defended his vote against legislation to create a commission to probe the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, arguing that the Department of Justice (DOJ) should investigate the insurrection and not a “politically motivated” commission. Read the full story here

Jeffries: Republicans ‘want to make it harder to vote and easier to steal an election’ By MYCHAEL SCHNELL   Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sunday said Republicans in Texas and nationwide “want to make it harder to vote and easier to steal an election” after the Texas Senate passed a sweeping voting restrictions bill. Read the full story here

Barbara Comstock: If Trump disappeared there wouldn’t be many Republicans in the search party By JOSEPH CHOI   Former Virginia Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock said on Sunday that if former President Trump went missing, “I don’t think you’d have many Republicans in the search party.” Read the full story here

Former deputy national security advisor: ‘I think we can’ find COVID-19’s origin By JOSEPH CHOI   “I think there’s a lot that can be learned in 90 days,” former Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger told “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd on NBC, referring to President Biden’s recent call for a 90-day report on the origins of COVID-19 from the U.S. intelligence community.  Read the full story here

Buttigieg: Mask mandates on planes a ‘matter of respect’ By REMA RAHMAN   Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday defended mask mandates on airplanes and other public transportation as a “matter of respect,” despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that suggest fully vaccinated people can go without face coverings inside and outside a host of public areas. Read the full story here