05/27/2021

Senate Republicans Present Infrastructure Offer

It fails to budge on the major differences between GOP and the White House

Senate Republicans today released their latest counteroffer for infrastructure spending, which comes in at about $928 billion but does not budge on the major differences between GOP lawmakers and the White House proposal. The proposal, outlined by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and a group of fellow Republican negotiators, is a significant increase from the previous GOP offer to spend $568 billion, with almost all of the new proposed spending going to roads, bridges, water infrastructure, airports, broadband connectivity and rail.

“It sticks to the core infrastructure features that we talked to initially,” Capito told reporters today. “It is a serious effort to reach a bipartisan agreement.”

Senate Republicans continue to resist Biden’s proposal to pay for infrastructure improvements in part by raising the corporate tax rate. Today, Capito and others suggested there are hundreds of billions of dollars in unspent COVID-19 relief funds that could be used to offset the cost.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki issued a statement shortly after the GOP press conference today saying the White House was encouraged by the new offer but that there are still “no substantial new funds for critical job-creating needs” and the pay-for is still a concern.

“We are worried that major cuts in COVID relief funds could imperil pending aid to small businesses, restaurants and rural hospitals using this money to get back on their feet after the crush of the pandemic,” Psaki said.

President Joe Biden, who is in Cleveland today pitching his jobs and infrastructure plan, said he would meet again with Capito and other Republicans next week to discuss their latest offer but added, “We’re going to have to close this down soon.”

This article was provided to OSAE by ASAE's Power of A and Inroads.