WASHINGTON (NEXTAR) — Congress is back in session, and that means the infrastructure bill is front and center for lawmakers and President Joe Biden.
“I’m prepared to negotiate,” the president said as he met with a group of lawmakers on Monday to discuss his American Jobs Plan.
“I think everyone acknowledges we need significant increase in infrastructure. It’s gonna get down to what we call infrastructure,” the president said.
The plan would improve the country’s roads and bridges, airports, broadband and more.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says the president welcomes Republican input.
“He looks forward to hearing their ideas and his objective is to find a way forward where we can modernize our nation’s infrastructure so we can compete with China,” Psaki said.
The White House says the president expects Republicans to do more than just voice opposition.
“He’s proposed a way to pay for it, which is what he thinks is the responsible thing to do, and he hopes they will come to the table with ideas,” Psaki said.
However, the Republican National Convention says the president is working overtime to mislead Americans. The RNC says the plan would hike taxes by $2 trillion and only 7% of the bill is dedicated to what they define as “infrastructure.”
“We have things we can agree on. I think the size of it is a bout of contention that we can work out,” Sen. Roger Wickers (R-Miss.)
Despite those objections, the president says he’ll get it across the finish line.
“I’m confident everything going to work out perfectly,” the president said.
The president seemed adamant to keep the price tag the same but is confident Republicans will see the importance of passing this bill.
