Senate and House Democrats are relishing in the passage, with the help of 19 Senate Republicans, of a so-called bipartisan infrastructure bill which they see as a building block toward a massive amnesty plan for millions of illegal aliens.
On Tuesday, in a 69-30 vote, 19 Senate Republicans joined all 50 Senate Democrats to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which does not include a provision to ensure American infrastructure jobs go to American citizens rather than illegal aliens.
Those 19 Senate Republicans include:
Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Richard Burr (R-NC), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Rob Portman (R-OH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Hoeven (R-ND), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Mitt Romney (R-UT)
Now, House and Senate Democrats are saying the passage of the infrastructure bill is vital to passing their $3.5 trillion budget resolution which, among other things, would give amnesty to millions of illegal aliens enrolled and eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, foreigners with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), those working on farms, and those considered “essential” workers.
The amnesty would cost American taxpayers around $107 billion, though the cost in depressed and lost wages for the nation’s working and middle class would likely boost that estimate significantly.
On August 9 on the Senate floor, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) made clear to Senate Republicans that Democrats’ end goal was to pass the infrastructure bill to then pass the multi-trillion dollar budget with amnesty.
“As we move forward, we’re proceeding on both tracks — the track of the bipartisan infrastructure proposal and the track of the budget resolution with reconciliation instructions,” Schumer said.
Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN), chairman of the Republican Study Committee, warned Senate Republicans that by withholding votes for the infrastructure bill, the GOP was also stopping in its tracks the Democrats’ amnesty plan.
Rep. Ayanna Presley (D-MA) suggested in an interview with National Public Radio that she will consider voting against the infrastructure bill unless the Senate passes the Democrats’ budget resolution with amnesty:
What progressives have been clear about since day one, as has President Biden, as has Democratic leadership, is that any vote on the narrow bipartisan infrastructure package must also come with a movement on a massive investment in tandem for workers and families.
“And that’s care economy, housing, combating climate change, and a pathway to citizenship for millions of our immigrant neighbors,” Presley continued.
Similarly, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) said Senate Democrats would “continue our work to deliver even bolder investments in child & elder care, immigration, and climate action” after passing the infrastructure bill.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) solidified on Wednesday that the infrastructure bill is directly tied to Democrats’ budget framework with amnesty, telling the media that she will not allow a vote in the House on the infrastructure bill until the Senate passes the budget.
“The votes in the House and Senate depend on us having both bills,” Pelosi said.
Already, Pelosi is facing backlash from her caucus with swing district House Democrats asking her to untie the infrastructure bill from the Democrat budget with amnesty.
“This is part and parcel,” Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) told SiriusXM Patriot’s Breitbart News Daily. “It’s a two-part plan to transform America, as Bernie Sanders has said. He’s been the author of this, and what we’re seeing is the actual realization of Joe Biden’s promise during the campaign to transform America.”
Hagerty, along with 29 other Senate Republicans, voted against the infrastructure bill.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.