Trump To Take On Pelosi, Schumer over Paying for 'Massive' Infrastructure Needs
Democratic leaders told President Donald Trump on Monday that American’s unmet infrastructure needs are “massive” and they want to hear from him on how to pay for improvements.
But the White House is not going to be rushed.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are to meet with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
It will be the first White House meeting of the group since the 35-day shutdown at the beginning of the year, according to Politico.
Pelosi and Schumer released a letter to Trump outlining their priorities.
“The issue of infrastructure is a bipartisan Congressional priority and we believe there are significant majorities in both the House and Senate to take action on the issue,” they wrote.
“America’s unmet infrastructure needs are massive, and a bipartisan infrastructure package must meet those needs with substantial, new and real revenue,” the letter stated, according to Fox News.
“We look forward to hearing your ideas on how to pay for this package to ensure that it is big and bold enough to meet our country’s needs.”
Leaders of both parties have expressed a desire to pass legislation this year to boost the nation’s infrastructure.
But big obstacles remain, including how to pay for it.
One possible way of raising money would be raising the federal gas tax, according to Politico. However, the website cited a source close to Schumer saying Democratic senators wouldn’t even consider that unless Trump and Republicans agreed to roll back some of the 2017 tax cuts.
A spokesman for Pelosi did not immediately return a Politico request for comment on whether she agreed with that position.
One of the president’s economic advisers said the White House would not be going into Tuesday’s meeting with a blueprint for an infrastructure bill.
“We’re going slowly on this,” said Larry Kudlow, director of the president’s National Economic Council.
“We would like this to be bipartisan. We would like to work with them and come up with something both sides can agree to. It’s an important topic.”
Pelosi and Schumer’s letter said an infrastructure package should go beyond addressing roads and bridges and should also include provisions to enhance broadband, water systems, energy, schools and housing.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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