Senate GOP Rejects Infrastructure Bill; Bipartisan Group Affirms They Are Getting Close to Finish Line

U.S. Senate Negotiates Ahead Of Possible Cloture Vote On Infrastructure Bill

(Photo : Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 21: Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) walks off the Senate Floor during a procedural vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill at the U.S. Capitol on July 21, 2021 in Washington, DC. Schumer scheduled the vote on the nearly $1 trillion infrastructure legislation for Wednesday in hopes of moving negotiations forward while some Republicans have requested a delay on the vote until Monday.

All Senate GOP members voted on Wednesday opposing the opening debate on a bipartisan infrastructure bill. The proposal would allocate an estimated $1.2 trillion on infrastructure improvements. It has the backing of 11 Senate GOP members, but they nonetheless voted against opening debate as the bill is yet to be settled.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) set forth the procedural vote to start debating the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and it did not go beyond that. According to a number of Republicans, the vote would have had a better chance to pass if Schumer had just postponed the vote until Monday. He carried on with it anyway.

Blocking the Attempt of Democrats to Open Debate

The Republicans barred the attempt of Democrats to commence formal debate on the bipartisan infrastructure package. Democrats are hurrying the procedural vote prior to the finalization of the bill they contended. The Senate had a vote of 49-51. It did not reach the required 60 votes for the transition.

The infrastructure bill is a pillar of President Joe Biden's economic initiatives. The Senate Majority Leader altered his vote from "yes" to "no" to enable another vote soon.

Bipartisan Group's Statement

According to the bipartisan team of senators, 11 Democrats and 11 Republicans, in a joint statement after the vote, they have made remarkable progress and are moving nearer a finalized settlement. The senators were positive they could finalize in the üpcoming days, reported AP.

The 22 senators released the statement, We will continue working hard to ensure we get this critical legislation right -- and are optimistic that we will finalize, and be prepared to advance, this historic bipartisan proposal to strengthen America's infrastructure and create good-paying jobs in the coming days," reported CNBC.

Senate Democrats on Wednesday were considering starting the process of moving both the separate $3.5 trillion package of education, child care, climate, and anti-poverty provisions and the infrastructure package expected to pass with mere votes of Democrats. Biden on Wednesday remarked he remained assertive that the Senate will vote in favor of the bill's consideration in the coming week, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Senators from the two sides touted the hitch a short-term problem only. On Monday, another vote was slated to be made. This would provide dealmakers ample time to write the deal and score its amount.

Notwithstanding GOP opposition, Schumer justified his decision to establish the vote. He noted the bipartisan team has been having discussions for over a month. On Wednesday, he remarked that Republican senators must feel comfortable voting in order to ascend and as bipartisan dealmakers are nearing finalization.

The Senate Majority Leader also said the vote was only an initial step. He underscored there is an exemplar for the Senate to hold a formal debate of a bill that is yet to be made final.