Biden's new bipartisan Senate infrastructure negotiation partners sound cautiously optimistic about a deal


President Biden's infrastructure negotiations with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) ended Tuesday amid polite recrimination.
In a five-minute phone call with Capito, Biden "offered his gratitude to her for her efforts and good faith conversations, but expressed his disappointment that, while he was willing to reduce his plan by more than $1 trillion, the Republican group had increased their proposed new investments by only $150 billion," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
"While I appreciate President Biden's willingness to devote so much time and effort to these negotiations, he ultimately chose not to accept the very robust and targeted infrastructure package," Capito said. "However, this does not mean bipartisanship isn't feasible."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Biden and Capito did not agree on a price tag, what should be included in the package, or how to pay for the bill. But they apparently agree on the feasibility of bipartisanship. Biden is now in discussions with a group of 10 Republican and 10 Democratic senators who have been meeting to craft a backup infrastructure package.
Ten of the senators met for nearly three hours in Sen. Rob Portman's (R-Ohio) office Tuesday, and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said they made "good progress" on a five-year deal. "We went through line by line and we've got pretty good agreement on most of those and went to the pay-fors as well, and they're a little less solid," Romney said. He did not put a figure on the package, but Politico reports the group has "been closing in on a $900 billion infrastructure framework."
The group also includes Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). Biden spoke several of them Tuesday, Psaki said, and he will keep in touch with the group during his European trip while designated senior White House officials and Cabinet members meet with them in person.
Biden isn't putting all his infrastructure eggs in one basket, though. He conferred with Democratic leaders Tuesday about beginning the process in July to pass infrastructure through the Senate's simple-majority budget reconciliation process, The Associated Press reports. "The president is committed to moving his economic legislation through Congress this summer, and is pursuing multiple paths to get this done," Psaki said.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 27, 2025
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - group chats, language lessons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Playhouse Creatures: 'dream-like' play is 'lively, funny and sharp-witted'
Anna Chancellor offers a 'glinting performance' alongside a 'strong' supporting cast
By The Week UK Published
-
The CIA Book Club: 'entertaining and vivid' book explores a huge Cold War secret
The Week Recommends 'Gripping' narrative explores a covert smuggling operation across the Iron Curtain
By The Week UK Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
speed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk set to earn billions from Trump administration
Speed Read Musk's company SpaceX will receive billions in federal government contracts in the coming years
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reports: Musk to get briefed on top secret China war plan
Speed Read In a major expansion of Elon Musk's government role, he will be briefed on military plans for potential war with China
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump signs order to end Education Department
Speed Read The move will return education 'back to the states where it belongs,' the president says
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pauses $175M for Penn over trans athlete
Speed Read The president is withholding federal funds from the University of Pennsylvania because it once allowed a transgender swimmer to compete
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published