United States President Joe Biden on Saturday hailed the $1 trillion infrastructure package that was passed by Congress as a “monumental step forward for the nation”. This comes after Democrats resolved a months-long standoff in their ranks to finally seal the deal.

“Finally, infrastructure week,” a beaming Biden told reporters. “I’m so happy to say that: infrastructure week.”

With 228-206, the House passed the plan. This prompted celebration from the Democratic side of the chamber. 13 Republicans, mostly moderates, supported the legislation while six of Democrats’ farthest left members opposed it. Those were Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri.

The infrastructure bill promises to create lots of jobs and revamp broadband, water supplies and other public works.

The infrastructure package is a historic investment by any measure. Biden compares it to the breadth of the building of the interstate highway system in the last century or the transcontinental railroad the century before.

“This is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuilding America,” he said in his White House remarks.

His reference to infrastructure week was a dig at former US president Donald Trump who had on multiple occasions declared that “infrastructure week” had arrived, only for nothing to happen.

For the Democrats, receiving passage for the bill was a rush of adrenaline. However, despite the win, they faced backlash after postponing a vote on a second, even larger bill until later this month.

That 10-year, $1.85 trillion measure bolstering health, family and climate change programs was sidetracked after moderates demanded a cost estimate on the sprawling measure.

The postponement meant that what could’ve been a double-barreled win for Biden, turned out only single-barreled.

“Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st Century,” Biden said in a written statement early Saturday.

Instead of traveling to their Delaware house, they spoke to House leaders, moderates and progressives.