KEY VOTE ALERT – “NO” on Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, H.R.3684

The Club for Growth opposes the so-called Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, H.R.3684, and urges all Senators and Representatives to vote NO on it. A vote is expected soon in the Senate and House of Representatives. The results of this vote will be included in the Club for Growth Foundation’s 2021 congressional scorecard.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure bill provides $1.2 trillion in federal spending, which will be held hostage by the House of Representatives for a reconciliation bill spending another $3.5 trillion.

Republican Senators’ support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill is an explicit accommodation of $4.7 trillion in total spending and expedited passage of the radical, socialist, and partisan reconciliation bill. The so-called bipartisan infrastructure bill is like a gateway drug that would lead to passage of the $3.5 trillion tax and spend bill. Additionally, this outrageous level of spending could accommodate a partisan increase in the debt limit on a reconciliation bill, as Democrats refuse to work with Republicans to tackle our long-term debt and deficit problems.

This $1.2 trillion infrastructure package only provides $110 billion for roads, bridges and other major projects that the American people generally consider “infrastructure”. Then it also provides over $1 trillion in excessive spending on Green New Deal provisions like $73 billion for upgrading America’s electric grid and power structures, $66 billion for rail, $65 billion for broadband internet service, radical expenses for environmental policies like $55 billion for clean drinking water, $21 billion for environmental remediation, $50 billion to stop the rise of the oceans through flooding and coastal resiliency, $39 billion for funding to ‘modernize’ transit, $25 billion for airports, $17 billion for ports, $11 billion for transportation safety programs, $7.5 billion for electric vehicles and EV charging stations, and more.

The bipartisan Senators say this $1.2 trillion package is paid for through redirecting COVID spending, increasing corporate user fees (which is a tax increase), and tax enforcement on cryptocurrencies. Although the legislation is still being drafted, cloture on the motion to proceed has passed the Senate, indicating consideration for Senate passage is likely. Make no mistake, this is a tax and spend bill that does not help economic growth.

Club for Growth calls on the Senate to reject massive increases in federal spending and for Senate Republicans to vote no on the $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending plan that really accommodates a total of $4.7 trillion in federal spending on everything from Bernie Sanders’ socialist wish-list.

Instead, Congress should refocus legislative efforts toward a positive economic growth agenda that unleashes economic opportunity through decreasing anti-competitiveness through excessive regulation, reduces the over-taxation of individuals and businesses, and promotes free markets through trade. Congress should pass a Balanced Budget Amendment that ensures this debt limit increase is the last debt limit increase. Finally, end expanded federal unemployment benefits that discourage a return to work and allow for the full re-opening of the U.S. economy.