Senate GOP votes against their $1 trillion infrastructure deal with Biden – but say they’ll back it in just 4 more days

Senate GOP votes against their $1 trillion infrastructure deal with Biden – but say they’ll back it in just 4 more days

Senate Republicans voted against advancing the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal on Wednesday in an early vote. But a key faction called for more time and said they can support the same agreement in four days. Republicans lined up to oppose the blueprint in a 49-51 vote on Wednesday afternoon. The measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to clear the chamber. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he went from a "yes" to a "no" only so he could bring up the measure again for another vote under Senate rules. Still, Republican negotiators including Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Mitt Romney of Utah expressed confidence about supporting their plan on Monday once details on how to pay for it were ironed out. The agreement contains $579 billion in fresh spending beyond what Congress has already approved focused on roads, bridges, and upgrading broadband connections. All five Republican negotiators voted against kicking off debate on the agreement they had struck with President Joe Biden last month. It comes days after the bipartisan group jettisoned $40 billion in extra IRS funding in the bipartisan deal, as it had triggered a backlash among conservatives alarmed about the possibility of overreach