Nancy Pelosi faces backlash from Progressive Democrats following backtrack of infrastructure pledge

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is currently tackling the internal rift amongst factions of the Democratic Party while looking to pass the bills that would bring forward US President Joe Biden’s agenda. Following the backtrack of her promise to vote on both infrastructure bills, progressive Democrats have blasted the House Speaker.

Progressive Democratic lawmakers have blasted Pelosi Thursday for backtracking on a pledge she made on voting for both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the social safety net bill -- both key aspects of Biden’s agenda. This comes as Pelosi has previously stood by her argument that the House would not vote on the bipartisan bill that already passed the Senate unless the upper chamber passes the budget resolution on party lines. In a shift in stance this week, Pelosi told the caucus in a private meeting Monday that the bipartisan infrastructure bill has to go forward ahead of the social spending bill.

At the time, Pelosi said that they must adjust to the changes and that the House cannot wait for the Senate to come to an agreement on the social safety net before taking a vote on the bipartisan bill. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who is part of the progressive caucus, threatened to vote no on the bipartisan proposal. This stance was also echoed by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who confirmed that the progressive faction would threaten to oppose the infrastructure bill unless the budget resolution passes the Senate.

Progressives have threatened to vote no on the bipartisan bill out of concern that Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema will vote against the budget reconciliation bill -- both Senators have publicly opposed the bill. Both Senators are speaking with Biden in order to determine the size of the bill. Both of them have opposed the proposal due to the price tag of $3.5 trillion, even as it is spaced out over ten years.

However, in a possible response to the threats from the progressive Democrats, Pelosi hinted Wednesday that the party has to come to a consensus regarding the main text of the budget resolution before the House can vote on the bipartisan bill.

“I think that we come to a place where we have agreement on legislative language -- not just principles -- in legislative language that the president supports,” Pelosi said Wednesday.