Biden's Infrastructure Bill Prompts Policy Clashes Before It's Even Revealed

With President Biden set to announce the first part of his infrastructure plan Wednesday, some lawmakers are already setting battle lines for the titanic legislation. Progressives and conservatives are predictably at odds over the size of the two-part, $4 trillion plan, with moderate Democrats caught in the middle, the Washington Post noted.

Biden will unveil the first half of his proposal in Pittsburgh. It’s expected to focus on physical infrastructure and climate change, with a $2 trillion price tag offset by tax hikes on large corporations and the wealthy.

Democrats are already splitting over political strategy, with centrists saying the complex legislation will need Republican votes to pass.

“I’m getting a little confused about how we’re going to get anything done. It’s only going to get more difficult from here on out,” said Jim Manley, who once served as an aide to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat. “There’s not only more divisions over where to go, but there’s a certain sense of spending fatigue setting in on Capitol Hill.”

The second part of Biden’s plan will leave things even more muddled, spending another $2 trillion to expand programs like the child tax credit and paid family and medical leave. It’s not yet clear whether the Biden administration will seek simultaneous passage of the measures.

Progressives are already saying the plan isn’t large enough to have a meaningful impact on climate change. A $10 trillion counterproposal was released by Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans won’t agree to anything that raises taxes, even for the wealthy.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any enthusiasm on our side for a tax increase,” he told Bloomberg.