Last Friday, the U.S. House passed the historic bipartisan infrastructure bill and a courageous group of bipartisan members made all the difference. Democrats and Republicans—most drawn from the ranks of the Problem Solvers Caucus—forced a vote on the infrastructure bill with no strings attached, breaking the link with a separate reconciliation bill that had delayed a House infrastructure vote for months. Then, when six Democratic “no” votes threatened to tank the infrastructure vote, 13 Republicans crossed over to put the bill over the top.
This victory for the American people is months in the making. In April, No Labels National Co-chair Larry Hogan gathered Democratic and Republican governors, House and Senate members to start hashing out a framework for an infrastructure bill. In the months to come, No Labels would host several other bipartisan, bicameral meetings to try to keep momentum moving behind the bill even as it appeared stalled after the Senate passed it in August with 69 votes. But the persistence of No Labels and our House and Senate allies paid off and the American people will be so much better off for it.
“When President Biden signs this bill into law, it will represent the single biggest infrastructure investment in America since Eisenhower and Congress built the Interstate Highway System. It will create millions of jobs,” said No Labels co-executive director Margaret White. “But it also represents a signature moment that shows what can happen when a group of Democratic and Republican Senators and House members hang together and do the hard but essential work of trying to find common ground.”
In addition to last night’s passage of the infrastructure bill, key members of the Problem Solvers Caucus also ensured that a separate reconciliation bill will not be voted on until it receives a full score from the Congressional Budget Office, which will enable members and the public to do the diligence and vetting required of such a consequential piece of legislation.
“If you flipped on cable news last night, you saw commentators from the left and right denouncing this bill and this vote,” said No Labels chief strategist Ryan Clancy. But today, the vast majority of Americans are applauding and that’s why this is so important. The broad American majority is starting to push back and demand something better from our leaders and it’s a real credit to the Problem Solvers Caucus members that they stepped up to deliver.”
