President Joe Biden is meeting with a bipartisan and bicameral group of 10 lawmakers today to discuss the American Jobs Plan. All of those House and Senate members slated to attend are former governors and mayors. From the Senate: Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado), Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) Angus King (I-Maine), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) will attend. From the House, Representatives Charlie Crist (D-Florida), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Missouri), Norma Torres (D-California), Carlos Giménez (R-Florida), and Kay Granger (R-Texas), who also happens to be the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee are expected to attend. Mr. Biden has already hosted two such bipartisan meetings to discuss his $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan, as well as sessions with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. The president invited former mayors and governors serving in Congress for Monday’s meeting, White House officials said, because of their experience confronting infrastructure issues in their communities. The president has repeatedly said it is his preference to pass a bipartisan deal, but the White House and other Democrats have also made clear that they are willing to push through a bill on a party-line vote if necessary to achieve their priorities. The White House says it is waiting for a counterproposal from Republicans to Biden’s plan but GOP senators have just started discussing a potential offer to the White House, unsure that the administration will take their proposals seriously. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has proposed a $600 billion to $800 billion package, far smaller than Biden’s $2.25 trillion plan. Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware), who often channels Biden’s thinking on Capitol Hill, has endorsed splitting the current package, $600 billion to $800 billion worth of transportation and broadband projects, partially funded by user fees, that could pass with Republican support — and creating a separate package of Democratic priorities, which could clear Congress through reconciliation. A group of 10 GOP senators is expected to meet privately early this week to discuss their next steps. Despite evidence so far that the final package will be bipartisan, concerns are already bubbling in Democratic circles about what priorities would be sacrificed if the White House chooses to compromise with Republicans. A major Republican criticism of the Biden administration’s framework is that it includes some funding, such as $400 billion for caring for senior and disabled Americans, that they don’t believe should be considered infrastructure. Administration officials argue that such measures are important to the economy’s efficient functioning, just as roads and bridges are. Republicans also are generally concerned about Mr. Biden’s plan to offset the cost of his package with corporate tax increases, saying they could hurt job creation.
For today, the House reconvened at 12 pm and is considering twenty-one bills under suspension of the Rules including H.R. 1528 – Promoting Transparent Standards for Corporate Insiders Act.
The Senate will reconvene at 3:00pm and will resume consideration of S.937, COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act. At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session, and resume consideration of the nomination of Lisa Monaco to be Deputy Attorney General, and vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination. Additionally, the Senate may begin work on the nomination of Vanita Gupta to be Associate Attorney General. Monaco, a veteran of national security roles, is poised to become the deputy attorney general — the Justice Department’s Number 2 official after the Senate Judiciary Committee voiced unanimous support for her nomination last month and a bipartisan coalition of senators is expected to confirm her. Gupta is on track to become Biden’s first nominee confirmed with no Republican votes in the 50-50 Senate, possibly requiring a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris. The Senate voted Thursday to move forward on Gupta’s nomination after the Judiciary Committee deadlocked 11-11, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York), vowing she would be confirmed.
Adam S. Olsen, Washington, D.C.
