Pelosi Plays Chicken With House Progressives, Schedules Three Ballots For Next Week That “Must Pass”
The bill’s future is uncertain, with progressive Democrats vowing to oppose the legislation unless the home first votes on a $3. 5 trillion social spending package.
Next week will either be a massive triumph for Congressional Democrats, or perhaps a deflating defeat which will send the Hill into turmoil.
Upon Saturday, Pelosi warned in the “ dear colleague” letter to members of the Democratic Caucus that they will have one week to “ pass a Continuing Resolution, Build Back again Better Act and the BIF” (Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework), adding that September 30th is a “ date fraught with meaning” due to expiring programs that the Senate-passed BIF will provide fresh funding meant for, as well as the date that government funding will run out at midnight – risking a ALL OF US default.
Gearing up for next week, Democrats upon Saturday pushed the $3. 5 trillion, 10-year Develop Back Better act through the House budget committee, establishing the stage for discussion and a possible vote upon Monday (but ‘ only when Pelosi has the votes to pass’). The Speaker did not mention legislation to extend your debt ceiling.
🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 PELOSI makes it official. Wants funding, infrastructure and reconciliation passed THIS WEEK.
Will make for one of the very most intense weeks in congress. pic. twitter. com/oPUX8Xc3LT
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) September 25, 2021
Because the American Enterprise Institute’s Philip J. Wallison notes in The particular Hill , “ It now looks as though Speaker Pelosi allows a separate vote on the infrastructure bill on Monday, Sept. 27, and will urge Democrats to vote for it. “
Pelosi said she is “ never” going to hold the vote on a bill which will fail, and suggests Mon vote on infrastructure deal will happen later in the 7 days. “ Let me just say we’re going to complete the bill this week. We promised that we would provide a bill to the floor, ” she says on DASAR
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 26, 2021
This is a risky proceed, as House progressives have vowed to vote against the infrastructure deal unless it’s done in tandem with the $3. 5 trillion ‘ Build Back Better Act” – which was Pelosi’s primary plan until a team of nine moderate House Democrats insisted on separate votes for the infrastructure bill and the partisan $3. 5t bill which can only be passed via reconciliation – a budgetary process which only requires a easy majority.
Inside a Sunday appearance on ABC’s “ Recently, ” Pelosi said that it “ seems self-evident” that the $3. five trillion figure will go lower .
“ Yeah that seems self-evident. That seems self-evident” the lady said on ABC’s “ This Week” when inquired if she would acknowledge that there would be a lower total for the package, ” she mentioned, adding “ I think actually those who want a smaller amount support the vision of the president. ”
“ We have to find our own common ground, respectful of each other’s views. This isn’t about moderates versus progressives. ” (it totally is).
Despite the Home Budget Committee passing an answer overnight calling for the $3. 5 trillion reconciliation bill, @SpeakerPelosi tells @GStephanopoulos this “seems self-evident” that the last number will come out to end up being less than that proposed. https://t.co/vZ6UrUWOXI pic. tweets. com/7dGUzfkQW9
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 26, 2021
Pelosi added that she would ‘ in no way bring a bill to the ground that doesn’t have the votes, ‘ in regards to the bipartisan infrastructure offer.
“I’m never bringing a bill to the floor that doesn’t have the ballots. ”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi informs @GStephanopoulos that she might not bring the bipartisan infrastructure costs to the House floor Mon as she previously committed to. https://t.co/iBAc9TuzAq pic. twitter. com/AmWyFLu4YO
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 26, 2021
*PELOSI VOWS TO KEEP THE U. S GOVERNMENT OPEN UP
*PELOSI: IS NOT GOING TO BRING BILL TO FLOORING THAT DOESN’T HAVE THE VOTES
*PELOSI SAYS HOME `MAY’ PASS INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL MONDAY
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) September 26, 2021
As The Hill notes of the facilities package:
However , the bill’s future is usually uncertain, with progressive Democrats vowing to oppose the particular legislation unless the House first votes on a $3. 5 trillion social spending bundle that serves as a second element of Biden’s Build Back Much better plan .
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash. ), the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Friday that as of now, the infrastructure expenses “ cannot pass. ”
Jayapal, who is scheduled to appear on both CBS’s “ Face the Nation” plus CNN’s “ State from the Union” this week, is leading a group of progressive lawmakers challenging movement on the larger “ family” package, which Democratic leaders are hoping to pass through reconciliation, thus bypassing the GOP filibuster in the Senate.
And while Jayapal and other Home progressives may think they can just kill Monday’s infrastructure election – using its failure since leverage to pass the $3. 5 trillion legislation, House Republicans can pull a fast one plus upend their plans if enough of them vote for the infrastructure bill so that it passes .
That said, the $3. 5 trillion plan is likely doomed either way in its present form – as moderate Democrats including Sen. Joe Manchin (WV) have vowed to oppose it until it’s smaller, and has realistic funding options. Given Democrats’ threadbare majority in the Senate, and common opposition by Senate Republicans, Manchin and other moderate Democrats are in the driver’s seat when it comes to the bigger package .
Republicans have called the $3. 5 trillion package unnecessary and too expensive, given the particular $28 trillion national debt.
“ This bill is a disaster pertaining to working-class families, ” said Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), the top Republican on the spending budget committee. “ It’s a huge giveaway to the wealthy, that is a laundry list of agenda products pulled right out of the Bernie Sanders socialist playbook. ”
Meanwhile, moderate Democrat Scott Peters of California joined all sixteen Republicans on the committee in opposition to the legislation.
Well, this is raising the stakes: “This 7 days, we must pass a Continuing Resolution, Build Back Better Function and the BIF, ” writes @SpeakerPelosi to colleagues today. pic. twitter. com/6RGenmbIqj
— Mike DeBonis (@mikedebonis) September 25, 2021
The last vote Pelosi announced on Saturday is a ‘ continuing resolution’ (CR) – a stopgap bill needed to fund the federal government at the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1 ) This comes after the House already passed a stopgap spending bill which would suspend the debt ceiling until Dec. 16, 2022 – however it will undoubtedly die in the Senate as a result of Republicans, where at least 60 votes are needed to send it to President Biden’s desk for approval.
Joe Biden’s rambling misspoken speech at the United Nations was as transparent as it was a veiled message to the International order.
