ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland Governor Larry Hogan[R] scolded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi[D] and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer[D] for holding hostage a bipartisan infrastructure bill, which was endorsed by President Joe Biden[D], so they can leverage other spending bills.
Recently, the White House and a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators struck a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package which marks a significant breakthrough on federal dollars for road and bridge projects after weeks of negotiations.
After the news broke, Hogan’s office and his “An American United” political action committee put out statements highlighting the governor’s role in the agreement, like the infrastructure summit he hosted in Annapolis.
At the same time, Biden is advancing proposals that will likely boost public funding for caregiving, child-care, education and other social policies.
However, Pelosi clarified the House will not take action on the Senate’s infrastructure bill until the Senate has taken up both proposals. This is where they lost Hogan.
Hogan believes this plan will put Americans back to work and improve American infrastructure, but Pelosi and Schumer are holding this back by playing political games.
“They are holding the bill hostage as leverage for other spending bills we can debate about whether these are worthwhile proposals, but they have nothing to do with infrastructure, and they do not have bipartisan support,” Hogan said via Fox News.
Hogan has even scolded Biden because he believes Biden will let them derail this agreement.
“I think what we need is bold leadership, not weakness, not political posturing,” Hogan added. “And I think if you will not be calling on this bill to receive an up or down vote on its merits, then you are not supporting the bill. You are not really for the bill.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said via Fox News that Biden has “clarified that he is going to work his heart out getting both bills across the finish line, and that’s what he’s going to do, and work closely with leaders in Congress to get that done.”
Contact Tony and the rest of our news desk at news@thebaynet.com