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A28 u.s. news
Diamars 6 aPriL 2021

Biden's big infrastructure plan hits McConnell-GOP blockade

tems.

Peppered with questions as he toured
Kentucky about money that could be
potentially flowing for home-state
road, bridge and housing projects,
McConnell has batted them back one
by one.

McConnell vowed last week to fight
Biden’s agenda “every step of the
way.”
Asked about that comment, Biden
told reporters Friday, “I think the Re-
publicans’ voters are going to have a
lot to say about whether we get a lot
of this done."
At the same time, Democrats as well
as Republicans will be faced with the
politically sticky vote on raising cor-
porate taxes to pay for all the spend-
ing, bucking the business community
that is largely against Biden's plan to
permanently hike the rate corpora-
tions pay to 28%.
Both parties view it as an almost exis-
tential battle over competing political
(AP) — Republicans in Congress crisis, framing it as government over- approved the 2017 tax overhaul. It's views: The Democrats who believe in
are making the politically brazen reach that piles on debt. now at 21%, the power of government to take the
bet that it’s more advantageous lead solving the nation's problems;
to oppose President Joe Biden’s Senate Republican leader Mitch Mc- Rather than shy from a new era of the Republicans who put their faith
ambitious “ Rebuild America” Connell declared plainly on Monday bigger government, Democratic in the private sector to drive solu-
agenda than to lend support for that Biden's plan is “something we’re leaders in Congress are embracing it, tions.
the costly $2.3 trillion undertak- not going to do.” believing they can bypass the GOP
ing for roads, bridges and other blockade on Capitol Hill and make On Capitol Hill, it's also a battle over
infrastructure investments. Speaking to reporters in Kentucky, the case directly to Americans hungry which party will control Congress.
McConnell said Republicans could for investments in homes, commu-
Much the way Republicans provided support a “much more modest” ap- nities and livelihoods, especially as After Barack Obama was elected in
no votes for the $1.9 trillion COV- proach, and one that doesn't rely on China and other rival countries make 2008, McConnell famously said his
ID-19 relief bill, they plan to stay on corporate tax hikes to pay for it. advancements. goal was to make the Democrat a one-
the sidelines for this next big lift by term president. This time around the
the White House, forcing Democrats But it’s not at all certain the GOP House Speaker Nancy Pelosi com- Republican leader appears to have a
to take full ownership of the massive playbook that worked more than a pares Biden’s plan to the far-reaching shorter-term goal at hand — he wants
package of spending and corporate decade ago will produce the same aims of presidents before him — from to win back the now evenly split 50-
tax hikes that Biden wants approved political gains this time around. Vot- Thomas Jefferson’s efforts to build 50 Senate.
over the summer. Both sides are dig- ers appear tired of the partisan stale- the Erie Canal to Teddy Roosevelt's
ging in this week as Biden shows no mate in Washington. Many live in designs on a national park system. “They’re so close to the majority
signs adjusting to satisfy Republican the country's run-down areas and are in 2022, they can taste it,” said Alex
leaders, instead appealing directly to signaling they are initially supportive Progressives want Biden to go even Conant, a Republican strategist.
their constituents. of Biden’s approach to governing, at bigger. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,
least on the virus aid package. said Sunday he expects more fund- Democrats have Senate control be-
"They know we need it,” Biden said ing to combat climate change and is cause their party’s vice president, Ka-
of the Republicans Monday as he re- Recent polling by The Associated pushing to include his own proposal mala Harris, can cast a tie-breaking
turned to Washington. Press-NORC Public Research Cen- to expand Medicare with dental, vi- vote. In the House, the Democratic
ter found Americans have responded sion and hearing aid care for seniors. majority is holding on by just a hand-
The president did not close the door favorably to the president’s approach, ful of seats.
on negotiations but vowed to “push with 73% approving of his handling As Congress hunkers down to begin
as hard as I can" for the plan. "Every- of the pandemic. That includes about drafting the legislation for Biden's Conant said the Republicans: “They
body around the world is investing half of Republicans. proposal, both parties will be put the really don’t want to give Biden wins,."
billions and billions of dollars in in- test.
frastructure, and we’re going to do it Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of Democrats, uncertain about their po-
here,” he said. Senate GOP leadership, said Sunday In the House, lawmakers will be in- litical prospects, are legislating as if
a smaller infrastructure package of vited to submit requests for projects they are on borrowed time.
That leaves Biden and congressional about $615 billion, or 30% of what in their home districts — roads and
Republicans on a collision course, Biden is proposing, could find bipar- other infrastructure that could be Senate Majority Leader Chuck
the outcome of which could define tisan backing from Republicans if the “earmarks” eligible for federal funds. Schumer has set in motion a poten-
the parties and his presidency. The White House did way with the new It's a way to entice bipartisan partici- tial process that would allow Biden's
GOP strategy is reminiscent of their tax and relied on user fees or other pation and ensure the funds are spent package to advance without the typi-
Obama-era stance that helped sour ways to pay for the spending. on agreed-upon needs. cal 60-vote threshold needed to over-
voters on the Democratic president come a filibuster by Republicans.
and his Congress more than a decade Under the Biden plan, the corporate Republicans will be forced to either Instead, it could be approved with a
ago. Then and now Republicans are tax rate would rise back to 28% — not participate or disengage, often with simple 51-vote majority.
intent on saddling Democrats with fully reversing the Trump-era GOP pressure from elected officials and
responsibility for all the taxes and tax cut on big business but settling other constituents clamoring for Pelosi has set a July 4 goal for House
spending to come, much as they did on a middle ground from what had funds to upgrade sewers, airports and votes, but acknowledges that ambi-
the 2009 rescue after the economic been a 35% rate before Republicans countless other infrastructure sys- tious timeline may slip.