Susan Collins: Infrastructure negotiations 'the test' that 'will determine' whether Biden, GOP can work together

published 24 May 2021

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Sunday that infrastructure negotiations between Senate Republicans and the White House are "the test" that "will determine whether ... we can work together in a bipartisan way on an important issue."

She told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that she hopes the bargaining continues, but acknowledged the two sides are "still pretty far apart" because of "fundamental differences" about the definition of infrastructure, and the total cost of the package, even after President Biden trimmed the proposal down by more than $500 billion last week.

Meanwhile, White House adviser Cedric Richmond told CNN's Dana Bash that the latest adjustment to the price tag shows Biden is willing to "negotiate in good faith" and in a "serious manner" and suggested the onus now falls on Republicans like Collins to reciprocate.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.