Progressive congresswoman thinks Pelosi will delay House infrastructure vote again

It doesn't appear that Democratic lawmakers are getting any closer to bridging the progressive-moderate gap that has widened amid the debate over the bipartisan infrastructure bill and its $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation companion.

On Tuesday, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, reiterated that she and her colleagues won't back the infrastructure bill until the reconciliation bill is completed. It remains unclear whether that will be the case by Sept. 27, the day House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has agreed to as the deadline for the House to vote on the infrastructure package, which passed the Senate earlier this summer. Jayapal's comments left NBC News' Benjy Sarlin to surmise that centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) has not won over any progressives in the lower chamber.

As for the looming infrastructure vote, Jayapal said she believes Pelosi will push it back (unless the Senate makes it clearer where they're at by next week), even though the speaker has indicated she won't. Jayapal pointed to Pelosi's record of success in rallying votes. "I don't think that the speaker is going to bring a bill up that is going to fail," she told reporters. "Have you seen the speaker bring up the bill that's going to fail?"

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up