House Infrastructure Vote Imperiled on CPC Concerns

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Friday she plans to press forward with plans to hold floor votes that day on the Senate-passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR-3684) and a rule setting up consideration of the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation package (HR-5376) despite opposition from Congressional Progressive Caucus leaders. House Democratic leaders set up the votes as a compromise aimed at advancing HR-3684 while appeasing Communications Subcommittee member Kurt Schrader of Oregon and five other party centrists who are withholding support for HR-5376 until the Congressional Budget Office releases a score on that measure, a process that may take weeks. HR-5376 would fail if all six centrists voted against it since all House Republicans are expected to oppose the measure. “As we’ve consistently said, there are dozens of our members who want to vote both bills … out of the House together,” said CPC Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., in a statement. “If our six colleagues still want to wait for a CBO score, we would agree to give them that time -- after which point we can vote on both bills together.” Pelosi later told reporters she believes "there are a large number of" CPC members "who will vote for" HR-3684 without simultaneous consideration of HR-5376. "I have" a "secret whip count" and "a pretty good feel" for where the Democratic caucus stands, she said. President Joe Biden urged House members earlier Friday to pass HR-3684 and HR-5376, saying that would “say clearly to the American people ‘we hear your voices. We’re going to invest in your hopes.’” Both measures include billions of dollars for broadband, though the amount in a Thursday revised draft of HR-5376 is significantly lower than Democrats originally sought (see 2110280074). Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., praised lawmakers for including her Local Journalism Sustainability Act (HR-3940/S-2434) in HR-5376. “Local journalism is essential to our democracy, we cannot let local & regional newsrooms continue to die in this challenging information age,” she tweeted. HR-3940/S-2434 would provide up to $5,000 in tax credits for local businesses that buy radio, TV and newspaper ads, and up to $25,000 for local news organizations to hire journalists.