President Joe Biden voiced doubt Monday that his two-tracked $5 trillion agenda would pass the House of Representatives by the end of the week.
“Well, it may not be by the end of the week,” he told reporters. “I hope it’s by the end of the week.”
Biden’s comments undercut House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s insistence that the top three pieces of legislation need to pass this week, as she fights to resolve infighting in her party between House moderates and the far left.
“This week, we must pass a Continuing Resolution, Build Back Better Act and the BIF,” she wrote to her House colleagues on Saturday, pointing to Biden’s $3.5 trillion entitlement bill, his $1.5 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, and a bill to fund the government.
Pelosi noted further “The next few days will be a time of intensity,” but urged colleagues to come together. But the president acknowledged, although he wants to get as much as he can get done legislatively, he indicated it could take much longer.
“[A]s long as we’re still alive, we got three things to do: the debt ceiling, the continuing resolution, and the two pieces of legislation,” Biden said to reporters at the White House. “If we do that, the country is going to be in great shape.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday it was too early to make a prediction about the future of Biden’s priorities.
“Let me just tell you that, one, we all ate our Wheaties this morning. I expect that’s going to be the breakfast all week,” she said.
When asked if the White House expected negotiations to last beyond the week, she replied, “We’ll see.”