Report: Mitch McConnell Likely to Vote for So-Called ‘Infrastructure’ Bill

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) comments Tuesday indicate he would likely back the $1.2 trillion so-called infrastructure bill, according to a Washington Post reporter.

McConnell said Tuesday that he would encourage his Republican colleagues to oppose Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) efforts to end the amendment debate Tuesday on the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.

“Slow and steady wins the race,” McConnell said.

Ending debate on amendments would allow for the Senate to file cloture on the bipartisan infrastructure bill, putting it dangerously close to a full vote on the Senate floor.

The leading Senate Republican signaled that he would likely vote to pass the infrastructure bill.

“I’m in favor of trying to get an outcome,” McConnell said.

Washington Post reporter Paul Kane said that this is McConnell “saying he wants to vote yes for this [infrastructure] deal.”

Manu Raju, a CNN reporter, affirmed this interpretation of McConnell’s remarks.

McConnell was one of the 17 Senate Republicans who voted last week to advance the legislative vehicle for the infrastructure bill.

The legislation contains many provisions that conservatives have slammed, including bad “pay fors,” climate change provisions, and other carveouts, including:

• The legislation defines “gender identity” as a protected class.
• It doubles funding for the Appalachia Commission; Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) wife sits on the board of the commission.

The legislation also contains roughly $30 billion in cryptocurrency taxes that Republicans such as Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) said could kill American jobs.

House Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks (R-IN) slammed the legislation as “essentially a Green New Deal lite” proposal.

Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) said that the “pay fors” in the legislation do not actually pay for the mammoth, 2,702-page bill.

“This bipartisan infrastructure package’s pay-fors are either completely phony or don’t quite cut the mustard,” Braun said last week.

Infrastructure investment is great when it's paid for.

This bipartisan infrastructure package's pay-fors are either completely phony or don't quite cut the mustard.

Thread:

— Senator Mike Braun (@SenatorBraun) July 29, 2021

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