AOC, Bush slam lack of diversity among infrastructure bill negotiators

A pair of "Squad" members criticized the lack of diversity among a bipartisan coalition of mostly White senators who have spent weeks negotiating a $1.2 trillion package to rebuild the nation's crumbling infrastructure.

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Cori Bush, D-Mo., took aim at the group of 22 lawmakers – 11 Republicans and 11 Democrats – who crafted the infrastructure agreement after the Senate voted Wednesday evening 67-32 to advance the legislation.  

"Is this the Bipartisan Infrastructure Group or the audience at a Kid Rock concert?" Bush tweeted on Wednesday, sharing an image of the 22 negotiators. "#NegotiationsSoWhite." 

That sentiment was echoed by Ocasio-Cortez, who had previously condemned the lack of diversity among the group as they worked to clinch an agreement.

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"A lot of times, ‘bipartisan agreements’ are just as defined by who people in power agree to exclude than include," she tweeted, sharing the same image as Bush.

The measure – which still faces a long road to passage – includes about $550 billion in new funding for roads, bridges, rail, transit, water and other "traditional" infrastructure programs.  

The White House said in a fact sheet the legislation will be paid for by repurposing unspent coronavirus relief funds, along with recouping fraudulently paid unemployment money, unemployment money returned by states that prematurely ended a federal $300-a-week benefit, targeted corporate users fees, strengthened tax enforcement for cryptocurrencies and economic growth created by the investments. 

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The newest agreement comes after divisions between the two sides over how much to allocate for things like public transit and broadband, as well as how to pay for the measure, threatened to derail negotiations.

Many Democrats, including Ocasio-Cortez and Bush, have made it clear they want to pass the bipartisan package in tandem with a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill – and have threatened to withdraw support for the smaller bill if it's not tethered to a larger bill that would dramatically expand the government-funded safety net.

But on Wednesday, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., infuriated progressives by vowing to pare down the $3.5 trillion measure.

"While I will support beginning this process, I do not support a bill that costs $3.5 trillion — and in the coming months, I will work in good faith to develop this legislation," Sinema said in a statement, provoking outrage from left-leaning members of the party.

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And because Democrats have an unusually narrow advantage in the House (Pelosi has just three votes to spare), it's possible that progressive lawmakers could tank the bipartisan deal.

"Good luck tanking your own party’s investment on childcare, climate action, and infrastructure while presuming you’ll survive a 3 vote House margin," Ocasio-Cortez fired back.