Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her leadership team are pressing forward with a risky strategy Monday to move forward on key parts of President Biden’s domestic agenda while refusing to bend to demands from a handful of centrists.
The plan would see the House vote on a rule Monday night that would deem a $3.5 trillion budget as adopted, while setting up a process for considering a bipartisan infrastructure bill approved by the Senate at an unspecified time.
The strategy is risky because 10 centrist Democrats have said they will not back the $3.5 billion budget without voting first on the infrastructure bill. It is not clear these Democrats will vote for the rule deeming the budget as being adopted.
Pelosi can only afford three defections if all Republicans as expected vote against the rule.
Members of Pelosi’s leadership team sounded uncertain if the plan would actually work.
When asked if Democrats have enough votes to adopt the rule, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) replied: “I have no idea.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/569095-pelosi-sets-up-risky-house-vote-to-deem-35t-budget-approved
