Romney Touts GOP Votes for Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Plan While Schumer Begins Reconciliation Process

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) says he is “very optimistic” that at least 10 fellow Republicans will support a bipartisan infrastructure plan he is helping to negotiate. Romney told reporters the text of the $579 billion plan will likely be released this week and noted it includes $578 billion in pay-fors. It would take 10 Republicans to join all Democrats for a bill to clear the Senate under normal rules. However, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) convened a meeting with all 11 Democratic members of the Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday to begin the process for passing a budget resolution, paving the way for Democrats to pass a major infrastructure bill on a party-line vote. This means Schumer can by-pass Republicans as long as he has 50 Democratic votes (with the tie-breaker from Vice President Harris). Schumer said he hopes to pass the budget resolution for fiscal 2022 in July. Read more here.