House Passes $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Package Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON The House on Wednesday passed a $1.5 trillion package of public works improvements championed by Democrats as a vital economic recovery measure amid the coronavirus pandemic, advancing the legislation over near-uniform Republican opposition and sending it to near-certain death in the Senate. The 10-year infrastructure plan is about twice as large as to rebuild the nations highways, airports and other infrastructure, a size that Speaker Nancy Pelosi said reflected the toll of the pandemic. It includes an additional $100 billion for schools, $100 billion for affordable housing and more money for rural broadband and clean energy projects. The measure passed by a vote of 233 to 188, with three Republicans crossing party lines to support it and two Democrats breaking with their party to vote no. Ms. Pelosi, of California, has said the coronavirus has magnified and intensified the economic needs in the country, with . But the legislation is expected to hit a brick wall in the Republican-controlled Senate, where the majority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has refused to bring up most marquee legislation passed by the other chamber. Naturally, this nonsense is not going anywhere in the Senate, he said Wednesday. In remarks on the Senate floor, Mr. McConnell said the Democrats plan paid fealty to the radical left, calling the legislation a multithousand page cousin of the Green New Deal, masquerading as a highway bill. The Green New Deal, a favorite punching bag of the right, is a measure that lays out a grand plan, including an ambitious set of public works projects, for . This so-called infrastructure bill would siphon billions in funding from actual infrastructure to funnel into climate-change policies, Mr. McConnell said. For years, President Trump and Democratic congressional leaders have talked about getting together to deliver a large infrastructure package to jump-start the American economy, but failed to even reach the negotiating table to begin talks so much so that the phrase Infrastructure Week has become something of . President Trump ran on the issue of infrastructure, said Representative Peter A. DeFazio, Democrat of Oregon and lead sponsor of the bill, noting the bills cost was smaller than the $2 trillion figure Mr. Trump Mr. DeFazio has said his plan applies the principles of the Green New Deal, because it includes strategies to try to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, it would authorize grants for local communities to invest in low- and zero-emissions forms of transportation, including public transit, walking and biking. On Wednesday, the House also adopted an amendment from Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, to add $22.5 billion to replace dangerous lead pipes that have contributed to the poisoning of children in several cities. The amendment would change lives for over 9 million homes across the country, she said. The time for environmental justice is now. Senate Republicans have coalesced behind a far narrower, bipartisan infrastructure plan that unanimously a committee last July. That plan, which Mr. Trump mentioned in February, would authorize $287 billion over five years and includes $259 billion to maintain and repair roads and bridges. House Democrats have completely shut out every Republican, said Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming and a lead sponsor. Thats not the way you do infrastructure for the entire country. Emily Cochrane contributed reporting. covers Congress. He was the lead reporter on a series of investigative articles at the Baltimore Sun that won a Pulitzer Prize and a George Polk Award in 2020.