03.31.21

McConnell: Democrats’ Non-Infrastructure “Infrastructure” Proposal a Missed Opportunity

‘Every time that far-left dogma clashes with the interests of American families, today’s Democrats pick the dogma.’

LOUISVILLE, KY – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement regarding the Administration’s so-called “infrastructure” proposal:

“Our nation could use a serious, targeted infrastructure plan. There would be bipartisan support for a smart proposal. Unfortunately, the latest liberal wish-list the White House has decided to label “infrastructure” is a major missed opportunity by this Administration.

“This plan is not about rebuilding America’s backbone. Less than 6% of this massive proposal goes to roads and bridges. It would spend more money just on electric cars than on America’s roads, bridges, ports, airports, and waterways combined. It contains sweeping far-left priorities like attacking blue-collar Americans’ Right to Work protections, a huge favor to Big Labor bosses. Every time that far-left dogma clashes with the interests of American families, today’s Democrats pick the dogma.

“This proposal appears to use “infrastructure” as a Trojan horse for the largest set of tax hikes in a generation. These sweeping tax hikes would kill jobs and hold down wages at the worst possible time, as Americans try to dig out from the pandemic. But don’t worry, coastal elites — House Democrats are demanding a special SALT carve-out that would cut taxes for wealthy people in blue states.

“Democrats keep trying to use important issues as smokescreens for unrelated agendas. That’s why their partisan “COVID bill” focused on non-COVID-related liberal goals like bailing out mismanaged states and breaking the link between welfare and work. That’s why their so-called “voting rights bill” tees up a one-party takeover of our democracy, with radical changes like turning the Federal Election Commission into a Democrat-run partisan body.

“There is bipartisan support for smart policies to strengthen America. The Senate voted 92-7 to extend small business relief less than a week ago. We passed five historic bipartisan COVID packages in 2020 and none earned fewer than 90 votes in the Senate. Democrats should stop worrying about pleasing the far left and work across the aisle on bipartisan solutions that could pass with big bipartisan majorities.”