Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) delivered a blow to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) infrastructure bill as the deadline to fund the government also looms. Progressives are outraged at Pelosi for prioritizing infrastructure, which is high on President Joe Biden’s agenda, over social spending and far-left lawmakers have vowed to vote against the package.
Sanders was the latest lawmaker to encourage House Democrats to oppose the bipartisan bill on infrastructure if Pelosi does not hold a vote on social spending. Sanders himself voted in favor of the bill earlier this year.
More importantly, it will end all leverage that we have to pass a major reconciliation bill. That means there will be no serious effort to address the long-neglected crises facing the working families of our country, the children, the elderly, the sick and the poor.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 28, 2021
I strongly urge my House colleagues to vote against the bipartisan infrastructure bill until Congress passes a strong reconciliation bill.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 28, 2021
The House progressive caucus is also holding the line against voting for infrastructure without reconciliation's passage.
JAYAPAL: "We articulated this position more than three months ago, and today it is still unchanged: progressives will vote for both bills, but a majority of our members will only vote for the infrastructure bill after the President’s visionary Build Back Better Act passes." pic.twitter.com/47AKyXubhs
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) September 28, 2021
In the Senate, Democrats rejected a clean government funding bill on Monday night, in hopes of passing a partisan spending bill.
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