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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
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.
