RELEASE: BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL VOTE SECURED HOUSE TO VOTE ON INFRASTRUCTURE BY SEPTEMBER 27TH
Group of Nine Secures Guaranteed Vote on Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill as Passed by the Senate | For Reconciliation Bill, House Will Only Vote on What Senate Will Back with 51 Votes | Speaker Backs Agreement
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, August 24, 2021, Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Ed Case (D-HI), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA), Jared Golden (D- ME), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), and Jim Costa (D-CA) announced an agreement in the U.S. House of Representatives to hold a standalone vote on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill in the House, as passed by the Senate, by September 27th — at the latest. Upon passage, we can then immediately send the once-in-a-century Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, officially called the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, to the President’s desk for signature. It will help create two million jobs a year over the next decade, fix our nation’s crumbling infrastructure, and fight climate change. The House infrastructure vote will stand on its own merits, while we consider additional parts of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. This overall agreement was voted on, passed, and codified by the House of Representatives.
Additionally, the Speaker of the House publicly agreed to only bring a reconciliation package to the House that has the backing of 51 votes in the Senate and complies with the Senate Byrd Rule.
We want to thank the Speaker, the Majority Leader, and the Whip for their constructive partnership.
“With roads and bridges crumbling across our nation, this agreement does what we set out to do: secure a standalone vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, send it to the President’s desk, and then separately consider the reconciliation package. This is a big win for America and will help get people to work and shovels in the ground. We have established a path forward that ensures we can pass this once-in-a-century infrastructure investment by September 27th, allowing us to create millions of jobs and bring our nation into the 21st century. It will receive standalone consideration, fully delinked, and on its own merits. With this week’s votes, we will also immediately begin the budget resolution process, which will include policies, from climate protections to health care to universal pre-K that are critical for our Districts. The country has waited far too long for legislation that will actually fix our crumbling roads, bridges, tunnels, rail, and water, and invest in broadband and fighting climate change. This deal ensures the House will pass the bipartisan package by September 27th.”
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