Politics

Biden Energy Secretary Granholm: Dems Will Pass $2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Without GOP If Necessary

John Hanson   |  

Apr 5, 2021

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Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Sunday that if Republicans do not compromise on President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure package, the Democrats would use the reconciliation process to push it through without any Republican votes.

Granholm made her comments on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

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Granholm: Biden Telling GOP ‘Come To The Table’

Host Jake Tapper asked Granholm, “My question is, the coronavirus relief package passed the House and Senate with zero Republican votes.”

“Ultimately, looking at this bill, I am wondering if that would be okay with you and President Biden again to have a bill pass with zero Republican votes?” Tapper asked.

Granholm replied, “Well, obviously, the pressure is to have this done in a bipartisan way. Eighty percent of America supports investing in infrastructure.”

“So the president is very conservatively reaching out to Republicans to say, ‘come to the table,” she said. “If you don’t like a component of it, tell us how you would do it? What do you want to see in this bill?”

Granholm added, “Honestly, Jake, the vast majority of this bill includes things that Republicans are supporting, like roads and bridges spending, like broadband, like water, like manufacturing supply chains.”

“These are all things that Republicans have actually introduced bills on,” she said. “So come to the table.”

Many Republicans have expressed opposition to the plan, including Senators Thune, Capito,  and Kennedy, and Rep. Brady of Texas. 

Brady knocked the bill for increasing America’s corporate tax rate to a level higher than Communist China’s 25% tax rate.

What If Republicans Don’t Want To Come To The Table?

The discussion then turned to what might happen if Republicans won’t budge.

“We want to make it bipartisan,” Granholm said. “You know, ultimately, if that doesn’t happen, he is elected to do the job to win the future for America to invest in our future.”

“We hope Republicans can join their constituents across the country, ultimately supporting this effort,” she added.

Then Tapper asked, “Ultimately, if you don’t get Republican support, you are willing to pass this using reconciliation rules, meaning only 50 Democratic votes and Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote, you are willing to do that?”

Granholm responded, “Well, you know, as he has said, he was sent to the presidency to do a job for America.”

She continued, “And if the vast majority of Americans, Democrats, and Republicans across the country, support spending on our country and not allowing us to lose the race globally, then he’s going to do that.”

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Granholm elaborated, “However, his sincere preference, his open hand, is to Republicans to come to the table and say, if you don’t like this, how would you pay for this? If you don’t like there, what would you include?”

“So much of this bill includes priorities that Republicans have supported,” the Energy Secretary ended. “So I hope that Democrats and Republicans can be on the final vote yes on this bill on this.”

The details on the massive $2 trillion plan can be found here.