McConnell Votes with Democrats to Pass $1.2 Trillion ‘Infrastructure’ Package

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was one of 19 Republicans who joined with Democrats to pass a $1.2 trillion “infrastructure” bill through the Senate on Tuesday. The bill passed 69-30 as Kamala Harris presided in the Senate.

“Today, we proved that democracy can still work,” Biden announced at the White House after the bill’s passage, while pointing to the assistance of McConnell.

“We can still come together to do big things, important things, for the American people,” Biden added.

The vote paves the way for Biden’s bigger $3.5 trillion package that is a radical Democrat spending spree: ‘Free’ child care, aggressive climate policies, and legalization of millions of illegal immigrants.

While the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill is moving to the Pelosi-led House, the Speaker has said that she won’t allow a vote until the $3.5 trillion package is approved. That gargantuan legislation would be filibuster-proof and could be passed through reconciliation.

The infrastructure bill has only a modest amount of what everyone can agree is ‘infrastructure,’ and even less funding for roads, highways, rails and bridges, which the president has been touting.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was asked on Sunday why Biden’s plan devoted only 5.6 percent of its spending to roads and bridges.

“We’re talking about roads and bridges, we’re talking about rail and transit, we’re talking about airports and ports,’ he responded. ‘As you mentioned, we’re talking about things like the grid,” Buttigieg said. “I don’t know why anybody would say it’s a mistake to invest in the grid after what we just witnessed in Texas. We saw U.S. citizens, living in Texas, melting snow in their bathtubs to be able to flush their toilets, in the United States of America. That is unacceptable.’

‘So yes, infrastructure includes energy infrastructure,” he added. ‘You know what else is part of infrastructure now? Broadband. … I’m proud of the fact that we’re going to finally get broadband out to every American, because we know, especially in rural areas, how much that’s cutting people off from opportunity.”

McConnell also pointed out the meager amount of funding for roads and bridges in his statement criticizing the bill.

“Unfortunately, less than 6% of this massive White House proposal would go to roads and bridges,” McConnell tweeted. “It would spend more on electric cars than on roads, bridges, ports, airports, and waterways combined.”

The Senate Minority Leader would vote on the infrastructure bill anyway, along with 18 Republicans. Here is the full list of Republicans who voted with the Democrats. Do with it what you will.

1. Roy Blunt of Missouri
2. Richard Burr of North Carolina
3. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
4. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
5. Susan Collins of Maine
6. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota
7. Mike Crapo of Idaho
8. Deb Fischer of Nebraska
9. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
10. Chuck Grassley of Iowa
11. John Hoeven of North Dakota
12. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
13. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
14. Rob Portman of Ohio
15. Jim Risch of Idaho
16. Mitt Romney of Utah
17. Dan Sullivan of Alaska
18. Thom Tillis of North Carolina
19. Roger Wicker of Mississippi

On Tuesday, the Atlantic pointed out that Nancy Pelosi is expected to step down following the mid-term elections. McConnell might want to take a hint and follow her lead.

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