GOP readies $1 trillion infrastructure counteroffer, but most of it apparently comes from COVID-19 funds

President Biden and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito
(Image credit: T.J. Kirkpatrick/Pool/Getty Images)

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) seems to be the only person in Washington who's optimistic about the prospects for an infrastructure deal. President Biden has offered to lower his American Jobs Plan's proposed price tag to $1.7 trillion, from $2.3 trillion, while Senate Republicans have raised their counteroffer to about $800 billion, from $568 billion, though that's mostly from extending the life of the proposal to eight years, from five.

Now, the Republicans, led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), have signaled they are ready to come back to the table Thursday with an eight-year offer totaling about $1 trillion, but about 70 percent of that money would come from COVID-19 relief funds that have yet to be spent. No Republicans voted for the last $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief legislation. Democrats are unlikely to embrace paying for upgrading America's infrastructure by siphoning off coronavirus relief funds, much of which have been promised to states and local governments.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

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.