GOP senators say bipartisan infrastructure deal is back on track after Biden's clarification. Manchin backs 2nd bill.

Senate Republicans on Sunday appear to have accepted President Biden's clarification on the landmark bipartisan infrastructure deal announced last week — or at least the Senate Republicans who helped negotiate the package.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told CNN's State of the Union that "the waters have been calmed" by Biden's statement that he would sign the bill even without a second, Democrats-only package on his desk. Republicans "were glad to see them disconnected," Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a lead negotiator, said on ABC's This Week. "And now we can move forward."
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said bipartisan bill is needed but linking them together had endangered its passage. "If we can pull this off, I think [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch [McConnell (R-Ky.)] will favor it," he said on NBC's Meet the Press. "He didn't like the president throwing the wrench in there saying, 'Listen, the two are tied together.'"
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.
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), one of the Democratic negotiators, told CBS's Face the Nation he thinks the legislation "will get far more than 60 votes in the end." Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) also sounded an optimistic note on the infrastructure package on This Week, but he said he could support the second American Families Plan as well, if Democrats paid for the bill.
Manchin said he would like to raise the corporate tax rate to 25 percent, from 21 percent, and tax capital gains at 28 percent, and if Republicans won't get on board, he would be open to do it without them through the budget reconciliation process. The "human infrastructure" package couldn't get his support if it reached the $6 trillion price tag Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is talking about, Manchin said. "If they think in reconciliation I'm going to throw caution to the wind and go to $5 trillion or $6 trillion when we can only afford $1 trillion or $1.5 trillion or maybe $2 trillion and what we can pay for, then I can't be there."
Biden has to get progressive Democrats to support the infrastructure package for it to pass, also, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Meet the Press that "it's very important for the president to know that House progressives and the Democratic caucus are here to ensure he doesn't fail." Collaborating with Republicans is good, she added, but "that doesn't mean that the president should be limited by Republicans."
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.
-
‘We must empower young athletes with the knowledge to stay safe’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Why does Donald Trump keep showing up at major sporting events?
Today's Big Question Trump has appeared at the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 and other events
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
Why are Trump's health rumors about more than just presidential fitness?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Extended absences and unexplained bruises have raised concerns about both his well-being and his administration's transparency
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines