Latest US infrastructure deal tangled with budget package

President Joe Biden expects to push the latest version of a bipartisan infrastructure bill in tandem with a budget reconciliation package containing policies that were removed from the base infrastructure deal, though this strategy may meet with a new round of opposition in Congress, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said June 25.

"You have heard the president say publicly he was going to move these bills forward in parallel paths and that is what is happening," Psaki said during a press conference.

When asked by reporters whether Biden would sign the infrastructure deal without an accompanying reconciliation bill, Psaki said he "fully expects and plans to sign both pieces of legislation into law."

Psaki said the fate of the dual legislation packages may ultimately fall on Congressional Republicans who choose not to approve the infrastructure bill if the reconciliation package is attached.

"It is up to republicans...to decide if they are going to vote against a historic investment in infrastructure that's going to rebuild roads and railways and bridges in their communities because they don't like the mechanics of the process," she said. "That is a pretty absurd argument for them to make."

Biden said his meeting with a group of 10 senators to reach the latest infrastructure compromise brought positive results despite certain concessions on behalf of both Republicans and Democrats.

"We had a really good meeting, and we have a deal," he said during a press conference June 24. "We've all agreed that none of us got all that we wanted. I clearly didn't get all I wanted. They gave more than maybe they were inclined to give in the first place."

The deal on infrastructure did not include certain Biden-supported priorities, such as what he termed as "family plan issues" and "human infrastructure" policies. However, he said he hoped that those initiatives would be approved through budget reconciliation as was discussed with the senator group.

"We'll see what happens in the reconciliation bill and the budget process, if we get some compromise there," he said. "They have my word. I'll stick with what they proposed, and they've given me their word as well. So, where I come from, that's good enough for me."