Sunday shows – Biden officials look to social spending package after infrastructure’s passage
by The Hill staff
Discussions on the Sunday morning political talk shows turned to the Democrats’ social spending plan after the House late last week passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill, sending it to the White House for President Biden’s signature.
Administration officials also weighed in on a court ruling that temporarily halted Biden’s vaccine mandate for large companies.
White House senior adviser Cedric Richmond touted the Democrats’ social spending package on Sunday after the House passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill two days earlier, signaling that the administration is now focusing its attention on the larger package, which lawmakers have vowed to pass later this month.
“We need to get it done,” Richmond told guest host Bill Hemmer on “Fox News Sunday” of the $1.75 trillion social spending package, which includes funding to expand social programs and address climate change.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) said on Sunday that he expects the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score on the Democrats’ $1.75 trillion social spending package and White House cost analysis of the legislation to “match up.”
“I’m quite confident that when this finally gets fully adjudicated, not just a temporary order, the validity of this requirement will be upheld. It’s common sense, Chuck, if OSHA can tell people to wear a hard hat on the job, to be careful around chemicals, it can put in place these simple measures to keep our workers safe,” White House chief of staff Ron Klain told “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd on NBC News.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said President Biden’s administration is ready to fight for the implementation of a vaccine requirement for large businesses following a court ruling that went against the federal mandate.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), the chairman of the Senate GOP campaign arm, said on Sunday that he will help Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R-Alaska) reelection efforts, even though former President Trump has already endorsed a challenger against her.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said on Sunday that the unexpected close race that he narrowly won last week indicates “there’s a lot of hurt out there.”
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Sunday likened the claims that the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol was a “false flag operation” to individuals who say the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were an “inside job.”
“People tend to try to answer everything in sound bites. And that can be very disconcerting. And so I think that that’s what’s caused the problem more than anything else,” House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Sunday that she hopes gas prices will not reach $4 per gallon soon, adding that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is “controlling the agenda.”
