Biden says there will be more infrastructure talks next week after productive meeting with GOP senators

“We had a very productive [meeting], more than courteous give and take,” she said. “We did talk specifics, and the president has asked us to come back and rework an offer so that he can then react to that and then reoffer to us. We’re very encouraged, we feel very committed to the bipartisanship that we think this infrastructure package can carry forward.” 

Blunt said it was “a really positive meeting… I think we’ll be able to go back the first of the week with another offer, and I believe he will make a counteroffer to that. And we all know we need to move pretty quickly here.”

In a statement, Toomey that he believes, “Congress and the Biden administration can come together and enact a bipartisan bill that responsibly boosts federal support for our roads, bridges, ports, and airports.”

But there remain major disagreements over core elements of an infrastructure bill, including what “infrastructure” should mean.

Biden’s proposal features hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for traditional infrastructure projects, such as roads and bridge repair. 

It also includes billions more in spending to expand the electrical grid, bolster care for elderly and disabled Americans, invest in affordable housing and expand broadband access. Republicans have seized on Biden’s expansive definition of “infrastructure” to oppose much of his proposal.

Moore Capito said the senators and the president acknowledged where they had differences, but didn’t dwell on them.

“I’m not saying [Biden] agrees with it or with everything. That’s the point of a negotiation here. He understands why we knocked some things out. If he wants to try to have us reconsider, that’s part of a negotiation. I think he got our point. He understands what we think modern infrastructure is, including broadband, and how big that package could be.”

Democrats and Republicans also remain far apart on how to pay for the much-needed infrastructure investments. 

Democrats have so far rejected a Republican proposal to fund the plan through user fees, with White House officials saying this amounts to a tax hike on middle-class Americans who drive. 

Instead, Democrats propose raising the corporate tax rate and closing loopholes that would effectively mean corporations and the very richest Americans pay for the plan. 

Republicans say any changes to the low tax rates enacted in their 2017 tax-cut bill are a nonstarter. 

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/13/biden-meets-with-6-key-gop-senators-on-infrastructure.html