WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — With the last attempt at a bipartisan infrastructure bill not working out, a new group of Senators are taking a swing at appealing to Democrats Republicans and the President.
“I feel very good about where these bipartisan negotiations have landed,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.).
10 Democrats and 10 Republicans have come together to develop a nearly 1 trillion dollar infrastructure plan, paid out over a five-year period.
“This would be on any relative comparison basis, a record investment in infrastructure,” Warner said.
Warner is confident enough Senate Republicans are on board, to speed the infrastructure bill across the finish line.
“Well in excess of 10 republicans senators, more like 15 to 20, that would be supportive of this infrastructure record investment,” Warner said.
“Put me down as listening and hopeful that somehow, someway, we’ll be able to move forward with an infrastructure bill,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said.
McConnell says there must be an effective way to pay for bill, however, he says he will not support any rollback of the 2017 tax cuts.
“But in the end it will be up to the majority leader to decide what to do,” McConnell said.
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he hopes to pass the bipartisan plan. But, some Democrats say it’s not big enough, and want to move ahead on a bigger plan, using a process called reconciliation. That would not require republican support. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) says the Democratic plan includes money for health and education, what she calls human infrastructure.
“While I could support a small bipartisan bill, I would not support it at the expense of not having a vote or not having enough votes for a full reconciliation package,” Gillibrand said.
Schumer said he wants to take up an infrastructure package in July.