The fate of a trillion-dollar Senate-passed infrastructure bill now rests on a commitment by House Democratic leaders to hold a late September vote, but still do so after a final budget package popular with progressives is ready. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Rules Chairman Jim McGovern guaranteed their offer to Democratic moderates, to hold a vote on infrastructure, by a date certain.

“It's a commitment to have the president's bipartisan infrastructure bill to be considered in the House, no later than September 27," noted Representative McGovern. "It is my hope that my colleagues recognize the fundamental choice before us, whether to advance the president's agenda, or to obstruct it."

Moderates wanted work to start sooner on roads, bridges, pipes, ports, locks, rail, transit and high-speed broadband. Others want massive social and green energy spending first.

“I’m greatly disappointed that the House Majority’s chosen to link the infrastructure bill to a wildly unnecessary, profligate, and wasteful Democratic-only budget resolution," said op Rules Republican Tom Cole. "What’s worse, the Speaker’s also made clear that she intends to hold the infrastructure bill hostage, until the reconciliation bill passes.”

Ensuring party progressives get their priorities first while pressuring moderates to go along in order to get infrastructure. House Republicans, like their Senate colleagues, oppose the budget's $3.5-trillion price tag and its possible worsening of the national debt and inflation.

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