Progressives planning to pass stopgap highway funding, but optimistic about infrastructure plan

Following the meeting between the US President and the House Democratic Caucus, New Hampshire Rep. Annie Kuster said on Friday that the lower house is likely to pass a stop-gap bill to extend highway funding for 30 days and prevent the programs from lapsing, as the Democratic Party are yet to strike a deal on the Joe Biden‘s revamped Build Back Better plan.

“I think they’ll do the 30 day, give them some time to negotiate the details,” she said. “And then we’ll pass both bills.”

The all-important meeting with the President came as the Democrats hope to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which included highway funding, before surface transportation authority expired September 30.

Meanwhile, after the progressive-only meeting, Reps. Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia believed before pausing negotiations on the $1 trillion infrastructure plan over the weekend, the House would take up a stopgap funding measure for surface transportation today.

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“That’s kind of what’s going on in there right now,” said Garcia, referencing the progressive-only meeting, according to CNN inputs. “But, you know we’ve all got to be open to compromise, and that’s what negotiations are about and it’s, you know, identifying what we want, you know, what our top priorities are, knowing what their needs are, and trying to reconcile the two.”

Talking about how she felt after today’s meeting with Biden, Escobar replied, “Optimistic and inspired, like I feel renewed and energized.”

Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland also left the meeting feeling optimistic about reaching a conclusion to the ongoing negotiations.

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Raskin said 98% of Democrats are united in their desire to pass both bills, according to CNN reports. The Congressman also said they are not worried that it is taking too long to get the agenda passed.

Biden huddled with House Democrats in a private meeting that was part instructional, part morale booster for the tattered caucus of lawmakers, telling them he wanted both bills passed regardless of the time it takes. He discussed a compromise topline of $1.9 trillion to $2.3 trillion, according to a person in the room, granted anonymity to discuss the talks, the Associated Press reported.