Sunday shows – Democrats’ stalemate dominates

by The Hill staff - 10/03/21 11:37 AM ET

President Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) leave a Democratic Caucus meeting at the Capitol to discuss the bipartisan infrastructure plan on Friday, October 1, 2021. — Greg Nash

Internal divisions among Democrats that have blocked votes on bipartisan infrastructure legislation and a massive social spending package the party hopes to pass through the reconciliation process dominated the Sunday morning political shows.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Saturday set a new deadline for the infrastructure bill for the end of the month. Leadership had hoped to vote on the measure, which progressives say must be tied to the larger spending package, last week.

Read The Hill’s complete coverage below.

Senior White House adviser says Biden ‘expects to get’ both infrastructure and reconciliation bills

By JOSEPH CHOI

Senior White House adviser Cedric Richmond on Sunday expressed confidence about passing both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the larger reconciliation package, saying, “We know what we’re doing.”

Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Richmond made assurances that the Biden administration is not “not concerned with process.”

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Jayapal: ‘We are going to deliver’ on infrastructure and reconciliation bills

By MONIQUE BEALS

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said on Sunday that she was confident the House could still pass both a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a Democratic-only reconciliation package despite both measures being stalled in the chamber last week.

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Khanna says he trusts Biden to work out a compromise to pass stalled legislation

By JOSEPH CHOI

Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said on Sunday that he is confident that President Biden will be able to negotiate a compromise that will allow for both the bipartisan infrastructure package and the larger reconciliation bill to pass.

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Ocasio-Cortez says it’s possible to shorten years on funding programs to compromise on reconciliation bill

By CAROLINE VAKIL

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Sunday it’s possible that progressives could compromise on fully funding certain programs for fewer years in an effort to lower the reconciliation bill’s price tag.

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Sanders: ‘Not my understanding’ that Biden called for lower price on reconciliation bill

By JOSEPH CHOI

“What he said is there’s going to have to be give and take on both sides,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said. “I’m not clear that he did bring forth a specific number.”

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Sanders says there may be ‘give and take’ on reconciliation price tag

By CAROLINE VAKIL

“What the president has said is that there’s going to have to be some give and take, and I think that that’s right,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

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Durbin says he supports $3.5T reconciliation bill price tag, but he is a ‘realist’

By MONIQUE BEALS

“Let me tell you at the outset I support the $3.5 trillion. I believe that the elements of it have been stated over and over again. They’re good for this country and they’re needed by families and by our nation,” Democratic Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “But I’m a realist too.”

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Top GOP senator: ‘Far-left Democrats are driving the bus and Joe Biden is just along for the ride’

By JOSEPH CHOI

“What we’re seeing is like watching an episode of ‘The Twilight Zone.’ I thought Joe Biden went to the Hill on Friday to try to get that bipartisan infrastructure bill passed and instead he surrendered to the radical wing of his party and now you have this big government, socialism, reckless spending bill being basically used to hold hostage the things that the American people want: our roads and bridges, highways, all of those things,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said while appearing on “Fox News Sunday.”

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Fauci says it’s a ‘false narrative’ to think COVID-19 vaccine not needed if Merck drug approved

By CAROLINE VAKIL

President Biden’s top medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, said on Sunday that it is a “false narrative” to think that the COVID-19 vaccine would not be needed if an antiviral COVID-19 treatment from Merck is federally approved.

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