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."
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.
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.
-
The party bringing Trump-style populism to Japan
Under The Radar Far-right party is ‘Rise of Sanseito is ‘shattering’ the belief that Japan is ‘immune’ to populism’ the belief that Japan is ‘immune’ to populism
-
Southern barbecue: This year’s top three
Feature A weekend-only restaurant, a 90-year-old pitmaster, and more
-
Film reviews: Anemone and The Smashing Machine
Feature A recluse receives an unwelcome guest and a pioneering UFC fighter battles addiction
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US