13 Days for an Infrastructure Deal

Punchbowl News: “Party leaders must make progress on their stalled reconciliation package — the problem is bigger than just Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) — with the clock ticking on the Oct. 31 deadline for voting on the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. It is just 13 days away.”

“That’s when the 30-day extension for federal surface transportation programs expires. Remember, Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a delay in the House infrastructure vote to provide House and Senate leaders with more time to come up with a deal on the multi-trillion dollar reconciliation package. At the very least a topline number. Something. Pelosi, in fact, wanted to pass the infrastructure bill ‘well before then — the sooner the better, to get the jobs out there,’ she said in her Oct. 2 ‘Dear Colleague’ letter.”

“Yet less than two weeks before that deadline, there’s zero chance the reconciliation package will be completed by then. It’s not even clear that an agreement is possible on a topline number by that date. There’s daily staff-level discussions between House and Senate leadership aides and committee staffers, along with White House officials, but no one seems willing to make the tough political decisions required in order to reduce a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package to the $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion level that Manchin, Sinema and other moderates will accept. Pelosi seems like she’s ready to do it, although so far, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House aren’t willing to go along with House Democrats’ positions on the legislation.”