Sunday shows preview: Democrats eye passage of infrastructure bill; health experts warn of fourth coronavirus wave

Democrats’ plan to pass President Biden’s infrastructure package and a possible fourth wave of COVID-19 cases are expected to dominate this weekend’s Sunday talk shows.

Democrats are working to determine the best way to pass President Biden’s $2.25 trillion infrastructure proposal, the administration’s second major legislative push after Congress passed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill.

The president unveiled the package in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, and on Thursday tapped five agency heads to educate the public on the effort.

Among the agency heads are Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who will appear on ABC’s “This Week” and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, who will appear on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Branded as the “American Jobs Plan,” Biden’s proposal includes repairing 20,000 miles of roads and 10,000 bridges; expanding broadband access to rural and underserved communities; replacing the nation’s lead pipelines and service lines to ensure clean water; investing in research and development and manufacturing; and expanding access to home and community-based care.

To pay for the plan, Biden’s proposal includes an increase of the corporate tax rate, which would pay for the investments over 15 years.

The bill is not likely to gain GOP support a probability that will likely force Democrats to pursue a process called budget reconciliation, which allows the Senate to pass legislation with a simple majority.

This method was used to pass coronavirus relief.

However, Biden faces the added challenge of continuing to court lawmakers within his own party so as not to lose any Democratic votes in a 50-50 Senate. While the attention could focus on moderates, some progressives have indicated that they want to see more included in the infrastructure package. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said last Tuesday that that the proposal wasn’t “nearly enough” to address climate change.

Meanwhile, experts are warning of a possible fourth wave of coronavirus infections.

Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warned of “impeding doom” over a possible fourth wave during a White House COVID-19 briefing.

Walensky said last Monday that the seven-day average of new cases is around 60,000 cases per day, rising after they had stagnated.

Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said on Thursday that he wouldn’t have used the words “impending doom,” but still warned that the nation shouldn’t let its guard down too quickly.

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

ABC’s “This Week” — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; Sen. Roy Blunt, (R-Mo.)

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Buttigieg; Sen. Roger Wicker, (R-Miss.); Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

CBS’s “Face the Nation” — Cecilia Rouse, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers; Rep. Ritchie Torres, (D-N.Y.); Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation; Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of Rio Grande Valley.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm; Gov. Tate Reeves, (R-Miss.); Rep. Ilhan Omar, (D-Minn.); Sen. Bernie Sanders, (I-Vt.)

“Fox News Sunday” — Blunt, Osterholm; Brian Deese, director of the White House’s National Economic Council.

Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General; Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY); Chad Wolf, Former acting DHS Secretary; Candace Owens, Author of “Blackout”