January 1, Budget kerfuffle pits moderate Democrats against Biden, Pelosi

A group of moderate Democrats threatened to oppose the Biden administration’s $3.5 trillion budget unless the House approves a $1 trillion package of infrastructure projects. The House is narrowly divided, and the moderates holding out could essentially guarantee the budget’s defeat.

“We must not squander our Congressional Democratic Majorities and jeopardize the once-in-a-generation opportunity to create historic change to meet the needs of working families,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to colleagues ahead of Monday evening’s test vote.

Moderates want Congress to quickly send the bipartisan measure, which has already passed through the Senate, to Biden so he can sign it while both parties still agree.

“The House can’t afford to wait months or do anything to risk passing” the infrastructure bill, Rep. Josh Gottheimer said last week. Gottheimer’s a leader of the group of nine moderates.

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Budget clash pits moderate Democrats against Biden, Pelosi