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From left: Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Los Angeles, Kirsten Sinema, D-Arizona, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and others hold a bipartisan meeting on infrastructure in the basement of the US Capitol on Tuesday. Samuel Corum/Getty Images Hide caption
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From left: Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Los Angeles, Kirsten Sinema, D-Arizona, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and others hold a bipartisan meeting on infrastructure in the basement of the US Capitol on Tuesday.
Samuel Corum / Getty Images
A group of 10 bipartisan senators said they agreed on a “framework” for an agreement on the infrastructure package, but members did not release any details, and top leaders from both parties remained mostly silent about the development.
According to two sources familiar with the negotiations, the agreement focuses on “basic and physical infrastructure.” The proposal would cost $1.2 trillion over eight years and include $579 billion in new spending.
The plan wouldn’t include any tax increases, and aides didn’t provide any other details about how the costs would be offset.
In a short statement, the group of five Republicans and five Democrats did not provide any details on the size or scope of the proposal, but said it would be “paid in full and will not include tax increases.”
“We are discussing our approach with our colleagues and the White House, and we remain optimistic that this can lay the foundation for mobilizing broad support from both parties and addressing America’s infrastructure needs,” the statement said.
In a statement, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said President Biden “appreciates the work of senators,” but added that “[q]Issues need to be addressed, particularly around the details of both the policy and the payment of costs, among others.”
The group’s 10 senators are: Bill Cassidy, R No. , Susan Collins, R-Main, Joe Manchin, DW Fa, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Mitt Romney, R-Utah, Jane Shaheen, DN.H. , Kirsten Sinema, D-Arizona, John Tester, Dee Montt, and Mark Warner, D-Virginia. Sinema launched the conversations with Romney.
The senators finished their work over the weekend, so it’s unclear if there will be any additional updates or new details until the framework is clarified.
The group did not indicate whether their party leaders agreed with the proposal – a key factor in determining whether this reduced approach would have any momentum in the equally divided Senate and House.
Progressive Democrats have already complained about discussing a smaller package and are pressing Democrats to go ahead with a plan without the Republicans.
The latest developments come two days after Biden ended his infrastructure talks with Senate Republicans led by Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia.
Explaining the decision, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “The latest offer of [Capito’s] The group, in his view, does not meet the basic needs of our country to restore our roads and bridges, prepare us for our clean energy future, and create jobs.”
Biden originally proposed a more than $2 trillion infrastructure and jobs plan, as well as a separate proposal on education, childcare and paid leave.
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