Democrats are “particularly unhappy” with the Senate infrastructure deal. They will support it anyway.

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In interviews Thursday, Democratic senators said they expect all 50 members of their caucus to sign off on the final product, emphasizing that the $3.5 trillion social spending proposal will include their top priorities. The bipartisan group still needs to sway many Democrats angry about water funding, but the party appears content to enter the main part of the infrastructure drama united — and leave Republicans divided over its support.

“There are a lot of things going on that I am not happy about. I think they are mistakes,” Cardin (Democrat) said. “But I will support the package. I think it’s very important that we get the bipartisan deal done.”

Even Democratic senators skeptical of GOP cooperation have said they hope a bipartisan deal on physical infrastructure will bear fruit, given that Biden has thrown the weight of the White House behind him as he is already traveling the country to bolster the framework. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), who previously criticized the bipartisan talks, said she is “optimistic” these days and “is prepared to support it because … Joe Biden supports it.”

“We are knocking on the open door because the leadership is theirs and so is the president,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who has criticized the pace and scope of negotiations with the Republicans. The stars are well aligned as long as the Republicans drop their bar. They seem to flock to every excuse for the failure of this effort.”

Biden could provide at most a handful of votes from the 50-member Democratic caucus to pass the bipartisan $1.2 trillion physical infrastructure package, if a deal is reached. While 11 Republican senators wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday saying they would vote forward next week, most GOP caucus members are waiting for the legislative text and outcome from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office before they are formed. minds.

Even some Republicans in the 22-member bipartisan group working on the package could eventually pull out, according to one Republican senator.

Senate negotiators say they are close to a bipartisan agreement, although Wednesday’s vote failed. The most controversial sticking point remaining appears to be public transportation funding levels. But the group is finalizing provisions on broadband and how unspent coronavirus relief money is used as a funding mechanism, according to aides familiar with the talks.

Republicans have suggested that Democrats are divided and may not be able to cast enough votes for a bipartisan deal with the separate $3.5 trillion proposal still incomplete. But Schumer estimated that the moderates in his caucus would not agree to the social spending plan without bipartisan efforts.

“What I’m hearing is that the Democrats could lose 10 to 15 of their lead,” said Senate Minority Webb John Thune (RS). “I hope they can make more votes than that.”

As of Thursday afternoon, some Democratic senators said they had concerns about what they were hearing, but there was no sign of a mass rebellion. Senator Tom Carper (D-US), chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said that if his water legislation was not “fully” funded he would “find it very difficult” to vote for the bipartisan deal. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) has expressed concern, but colleagues find it unlikely that they will ultimately oppose a bipartisan product that Biden supports.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration understands that some lawmakers “want their voices to be heard” and “require them” during the “chaotic legislative process.”

“We’re engaged with a range of members, including, of course, Senator Carper, and of course we work closely with the Senate leadership,” Psaki said, noting the Delaware senator’s tepid support for the bipartisan framework.

Schumer has not yet indicated when he will bring up another vote on the bipartisan deal, but senators on both sides of the aisle expect it to take place next week. Schumer reiterated Thursday that he plans to pass the bipartisan bill before he leaves the Senate for recess in August.

Meanwhile, the White House released a presentation Thursday summarizing the Democrats’ social spending proposals, in an effort to counter the GOP’s attacks on rising inflation. It’s a sign that the White House has heard the grumbling of Democratic lawmakers who want a coherent argument as they bring both the bipartisan deal and reconciliation proposals to voters and get it passed.

“We wanted to give people a structured and coherent theory of the issue of how these pieces fit together to tell a coherent story,” White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said in a call with reporters Thursday. “And really empowering them.”

If a group of Democrats threatens the bill, it will likely be in the House, where many members have complained of being left out of the Senate’s bipartisan debate. But as the pivotal week enters when the Senate may finally pass judgment on three months of cross-aisle talks, Democrats say they are confident their members will finally attend.

“A large part of this bill consists of things that the committees have already approved. If it makes some people happier to have a part of the infrastructure bill bipartisan so we can move forward, that’s fine,” Warren (D-Mass.) said.

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