Month: July 2021

On Wednesday, Senate Republicans blocked a procedural vote to advance a massive bipartisan infrastructure bill, saying it is premature to do so while negotiators are still ironing out its details. The infrastructure bill, ultimately expected to be worth $600 billion, has been a key priority of President Joe Biden.

GOP senators blocked consideration of the measure with 49 votes, voting down Sen. Chuck Schumer’s bid to move debate forward while negotiators from both parties have yet to find common ground over issues such as funding for transit and how to pay for the package. The bipartisan bill focuses on brick-and-mortar projects while Democrats prefer a version that seeks $3.5 trillion for wider related issues like climate change initiatives and “human infrastructure” such as childcare.

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, who is part of that bipartisan group that worked on the framework of the bill, called on Schumer to delay Wednesday’s vote until Monday because negotiators are close to reaching a full agreement. Romney said: “Until we’ve ironed out all of the remaining issues, Wednesday is premature, but I think Monday would be sufficient time for us to get all the remaining issues solved, and socialize the legislation with our colleagues so they know how they want to vote.”

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On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi vetoed two choices to serve on the committee set to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Reps. Jim Banks on Indiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio, chosen by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, were rejected by Pelosi to sit on the panel, which will investigate the riot at the U.S. Capitol. Banks and Jordan both voted against certifying the election results.

Pelosi said that the unprecedented decision was driven by the unprecedented nature of the Jan. 6 attack:
“We need a comprehensive investigation as to who organized this attack, who paid for it, how they nearly succeeded in overthrowing a presidential election, why they did it and how we must organize ourselves to prevent anything like it from ever happening again,” reads Pelosi’s statement.

Pelosi said she’s prepared to appoint Reps. Rodney Davis, Kelly Armstrong and Troy Nehls, and requested McCarthy to appoint two other members. The committee will have a total of 13 members, eight of those being appointed by Democrats and five appointed by Republican leader McCarthy. The panel is expected to hold its first hearing next week.

Editorial credit: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com