Posted on 05/07/2021 6:39:06 PM PDT by RandFan
President Biden will hold a meeting next week with six Republican senators as he looks to pass his sprawling infrastructure plan through Congress.
A White House official confirmed that Biden will meet Thursday with GOP Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), John Barrasso (Wyo.), Roy Blunt (Mo.), Mike Crapo (Idaho), Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Roger Wicker (Miss.).
“The president appreciates their engagement and the ongoing dialogue on this high priority, and is looking forward to speaking with the group,” the official said.
That meeting will come a day after Biden huddles with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to discuss the same $2.25 trillion proposal.
“They will have a dialogue about policy areas of mutual agreement and identifying common ground on which they can work together and deliver results on the challenges facing American families,” the White House official said.
“The President is eager to talk in-person with the Congressional leaders about how they can partner on the goals of restoring trust in government, ensuring that government delivers for the American people, and keeping the nation safe and competitive in the world—especially as the nation continues to sacrifice to defeat the pandemic and we turn our economy around after the worst downturn since the Great Depression," they added.
Democrats and Republicans remain at loggerheads over how to pay for Biden’s sweeping proposal, which would repair 20,000 miles of roads and 10,000 bridges, expand broadband access to rural and underserved communities, replace all of the nation’s lead pipes and service lines to ensure clean water, invest in research and development and manufacturing, and expand access to home and community-based care.
The president is seeking to pay for the plan by hiking the corporate tax rate from 21 percent to 28 percent, which the White House says will pay for the investments over a 15-year period.
Republicans, meanwhile, are adamant that no taxes be raised to pay for the plan, but have expressed openness to working with Biden on a compromise.
The Senate GOP, led by Capito, has come back with a plan coming in at under $600 billion that would focus more on boosting traditional infrastructure issues such as bridges and roads as well as expanding broadband.
“Senate Republicans have a targeted and responsible infrastructure plan. If the President will work with us, infrastructure is something we can and should be able to do in a bipartisan way. What there isn't any appetite for in our conference is a tax increase on job creators,” Wicker said in a statement to The Hill. “I look forward to hearing what the President has to say.”
Biden and Capito spoke last week on infrastructure, with the White House saying the two “had a warm, friendly conversation and continued their dialogue about infrastructure and jobs, reiterating their willingness to negotiate.”
Great. A RINO mini-fest with President Joe Dementia. An absolutely unless endeavor.
Funny that.....I can think of 6 different Senators i’d rather see at that meeting.
“Mike Crapo (Idaho)”
What the HELL? I just wrote to Crapo and gave him a piece of my mind about him meeting the Communist-in-Chielf and abetting his program to destroy the USA.
Assistant Democrats all.
We have to stop electing transRepublicans.
Collins, Merkowski, Mittens, McConnell, who are the other two??
What’s he giving them to switch to the dems?
FTA:
Biden will meet Thursday with GOP Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), John Barrasso (Wyo.), Roy Blunt (Mo.), Mike Crapo (Idaho), Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Roger Wicker (Miss.).
Let's just say their new houses will make Obama and Sanders look like they use plastic buckets on the living room floor to catch the rain leaking through the roof. Palatial.
Our problem: Dems are united as always. Maybe ,sort of Manchin, possibly sometimes.
GOP will have pro Trump, anti-Trump, turncoats in this little group with Biden, the usual Mitt and Susan Collins—Murkowski weak knees and probably a group of prima donnas who want to run for President themselves.
So split GOP and united Dems as America sinks for the final time.
Toomey will go for it.. useless as always
Arrgh! Sorry I meant useless.
bribes, bribes, bribes, bribes, bribes... it just never ends! The REALLY crappy thing is that they don’t use their own money for the bribes. They take it from us!
What does he need 60 votes for? He has these 4 in his pocket so now he is meeting with the 6 listed!! These bastard republicans better HOLD THE LINE!!
Infrastructure is racist.
Are they bringing little girls?
Oh, it won’t be useless. No doubt the rinos will be promised enough to turn their heads, which are probably already bent in that direction, anyway.
Bribe bids to ensue
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