Exclusive – Democrat Pramila Jayapal Holds Infrastructure Hostage Unless It Has ‘Bold Climate’ Action

Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said during a virtual town hall June 30 that she will continue to hold the infrastructure hostage unless it were to include “bold climate” change action.

Jayapal promised that they would not support the bipartisan infrastructure bill unless Congress were also to advance the Democrat infrastructure reconciliation bill that would contain more partisan, leftist priorities such as climate change and child care.

“We’re not going to advance any bipartisan infrastructure bill if there isn’t a full reconciliation plan that moves simultaneously that includes our top priorities, one of which is bold investments in climate jobs and impacted communities,” she said.

Jayapal’s comments echo her previous statements during other virtual town halls. At an April town hall, she said President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal focuses more on “transitioning to a clean, green economy” than physical infrastructure.

“We’re absolutely not going to abandon bold, climate action,” Jayapal declared.

Jayapal also said that the hopes to direct 40 percent of the climate change funding towards those on the “frontlines of environmental and public health crises,” establish a national clean energy standard, new standards for “emission reductions,” a “civil climate corps” that would be unionized, and invest in “robust” renewable energy.

Jayapal also thanked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for doubling down on her threat to block any bipartisan infrastructure proposal unless Congress were also to advance the partisan reconciliation bill.

The Washington progressive’s bold call for climate change provisions could set up a clash with congressional Republicans, who have promised to fight the infrastructure proposals.

“The era of bipartisanship on this stuff is over,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said recently during a stop in Kentucky. “This is going to be a hell of a fight over what this country ought to look like in the future, and it’s going to unfold here in the next few weeks. I don’t think we’ve had a bigger difference of opinion between the two parties.”

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.