House Progressives urge Biden to pass 'bold' $6T spending plan without GOP support

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Bipartisan $1.25T infrastructure plan is ‘promising’: House Problem Solvers

Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Scott Peters join ‘CAVUTO Live’ to provide insight into the $1.25 trillion infrastructure plan.  

The Congressional Progressive Caucus has doubled down on the need for a multitrillion-dollar comprehensive infrastructure plan and warned that a pared-down bipartisan package with Republicans would likely not have their support.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the liberal House caucus, said progressives want a $6 trillion to $10 trillion plan – far more than the $4 trillion President Biden initially proposed – and urged the president to go big on spending, even it means going alone without the GOP.

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 01: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) holds a news conference to announce legislation that would tax the net worth of America's wealthiest individuals at the U.S. Capitol on March 01, 2021 in Washington, DC. Citing growing inequalities during the coronavirus pandemic, Jayapal, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) introduced the bill that would apply a two-percent tax on people worth more than $50 million and an additional one-percent surcharge for net worth above $1 billion. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

"We're just not going to be able to agree to some small deal that only deals with physical infrastructure that doesn't take on climate, that doesn't take on childcare, that doesn't take on healthcare," Jayapal, D-Wash., told reporters Wednesday of the nearly 100-member progressive caucus. "That's why we're saying: Let's go big. Let's go bold. Let's go now. And let's go with what the American people want."

DEMOCRATIC INFIGHTING THREATENS BIDEN’S BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL PUSH

Progressives have taken the broadest definition of infrastructure and have urged the Biden adminstration to pass comprehensive legislation just with Democrat support by way of budget reconciliation, if necessary, and to stop holding out hope for a bipartisan deal with Republicans. 

Jayapal has pointed to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's past statement that he's "100%" committed to blocking Biden's agenda as evidence that Democrats are wasting time trying to forge a deal with the GOP. 

PROGRESSIVES THINK BIDEN'S LATEST $1.8T FAMILIES PLAN ISN'T BIG ENOUGH

Beyond traditional physical infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, progressives want the inclusion of major social welfare plans in the package, such as expanding Medicare, universal childcare, expansion of the child tax credit, affordable housing and climate change provisions.

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Meantime, a group of 10 bipartisan senators continues to meet to try to forge a smaller deal on spending that could pass the Senate. If they are successful, the question remains if that deal could pass the Democratic-led House too with so many progressives wanting more.