The Democrats promised the so-called $1 trillion infrastructure bill would be paid for, but the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) analysis of the legislation shows it will increase deficits by $256 billion over the next decade.
The “bipartisan” bill, which enjoys the support of only a handful of liberal Republicans, might result in another weekend session in the Senate, Associated Press (AP) reported.
As Breitbart News reported, the 2,700-page Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is more than twice the length of the Gutenberg Bible.
AP reported on the CBO analysis but emphasized the Republicans who are expected to vote for it:
It’s unclear if the budget office’s assessment could peel away support, particularly from Republican senators who have been wary of using what some view as gimmicks to pay for the package.
But the bill’s backers sprang to defend the overall package, and said it included additional savings and would boost economic growth in ways the CBO does not measure. The top negotiators, Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said the package is “a historic investment in our nation’s core infrastructure needs.” In a statement, they said the package is a long-term investment that will “improve economic efficiency and productivity, increase GDP, generate additional revenue, and will not increase inflation.”
[Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell (R-KY) had promised to be “100% focused” on stopping Biden’s agenda, but when it comes to the bipartisan infrastructure plan, he has said “there’s an excellent chance it will be a success story for the country.”
“I don’t think anybody’s looking to extend this out any longer than necessary,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told reporters, according to AP.
The infrastructure bill doesn’t include a separate $3.5 trillion so-called “human infrastructure” bill that Democrats want to pump federal money into child care, education, and other pet projects of lawmakers in states around the country.
If the Senate passes the legislation, it will head to the House for consideration.
Follow Penny Starr on Twitter or send news tips to pstarr@breitbart.com.
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