Govt shutdown timer5/20/2023 ![]() “I think he's disappointed more than surprised,” she added. And Republicans - keenly aware that the passage of infrastructure and reconciliation may be Democrats’ best hope for keeping their majorities next year - are eager to keep the spotlight on the disarray across the aisle.ĬNN's Daniella Diaz and Ryan Nobles contributed reporting to this post. President Biden’s domestic agenda is on the verge of imploding as Democratic leaders struggle to unite the warring factions inside their party. The scramble to limit GOP defections underscores just how high the stakes are for both parties. While GOP leaders have acknowledged that there will be some Republicans who cross party lines, Scalise said at a press conference earlier this week that they will “work to keep that number as low as we possibly can.” One Republican member said the whipping operation was “pretty intense.” Another Republican described the effort as an ��8 out of 10.” And a third House Republican said “we’re very serious about it.” “There won’t be enough Republicans to carry this if there is widespread opposition,” the person said. The source expects between a dozen and 20 House Republicans will vote “yes” on the legislation, but said it wouldn’t be enough to offset the mass defections progressives are threatening if the bill comes to the floor without a deal on legislation to expand the social safety net through reconciliation. “Our argument is that infrastructure is a gateway drug to reconciliation,” a source familiar with the whip operation said. ![]() And while Republican leaders are not threatening members who back the bill, they are being forceful with their pitches, those sources said. Both House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise have been making personal calls to members and talking to members on the floor, according to GOP sources. While the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package contains popular items widely supported by both parties - and earned the backing of 19 Republicans in the Senate - GOP leaders in the House want to ensure that Republicans won’t be the reason the bill gets over the finish line, and have begun to crank up the pressure on their members. House Republican leaders are launching an all-out campaign to sink a bipartisan infrastructure bill, as Democratic leaders struggle to unite their caucus around the legislation ahead of a high-stakes floor vote on Thursday. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, speaks with reporters at the Capitol in Washington, DC, Wednesday, September 29. we're one heartbeat away from losing the majority in the United States Senate." "Simply delaying them is just inviting a bad result. "I would say to him, we can't delay these things," Durbin said, speaking on CNN. Many progressive lawmakers in the caucus are linking that vote to the larger economic spending package. Manchin's decision could spell trouble for Democratic leadership in the House who hope to pass a hard infrastructure deal this week. Do it now,'" said Durbin, the Senate's second most powerful Democrat.ĭurbin was responding to a statement Manchin made earlier in the afternoon, in which he indicated he'd be open to an economic bill by the end of the year but confirmed that he's not ready to vote for one now. "I would urge Joe, 'if you believe there's value and merit to the programs in the reconciliation bill, don't wait. Joe Manchin, this evening to support Democrats' spending package now, rather than waiting until later in the year. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin urged his Democratic colleague, Sen. "Yes," she said when asked if she's ruled out using that process. Democrats argue it would take too long to go through that process and stave off default Republicans disagree.Īnd Pelosi went further than she has before, making clear she won't go that route. (Reconciliation bills cannot be filibustered and can pass with just 51 votes in the Senate.)ĭemocrats have been resisting GOP calls to go this route over concerns over the unwieldy process on the floor that would open them to a flurry of politically charged amendments on the Senate floor. Pelosi also told CNN she does not support going through the process known as "budget reconciliation" to raise the national debt ceiling on just Democratic votes. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she still plans to hold a vote on the infrastructure plan tomorrow - “that’s the plan” she said, adding she’s taking it “one hour at a time” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi walks off the House floor following a procedural vote on suspending the debt limit on Wednesday, September 29.
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