Biden’s Global “Build Back Better”: Blocked?

President Biden’s signature global-infrastructure push faces a significant new roadblock: opposition from congressional Republicans who refuse to approve a new State Department office to coordinate the multi-billion-dollar investment initiative. A congressional aide told National Review that two powerful Republican lawmakers have moved to block that proposed office from moving forward.

While the White House has already worked to identify projects the initiative could take up, it’s unclear how, or whether, it would proceed without the proposed coordinating office. While it could blow through the holds to establish the office in defiance of Congress, that could raise thorny legal questions and tee up an ugly fight around the global-infrastructure agenda. Neither the National Security Council nor the State Department would comment for this report.

About the Author

Jimmy Quinn

Jimmy Quinn is the former national security correspondent for National Review.

Featured Tags

President Biden’s signature global-infrastructure push faces a significant new roadblock: opposition from congressional Republicans who refuse to approve a new State Department office to coordinate the multi-billion-dollar investment initiative. A congressional aide told National Review that two powerful Republican lawmakers have moved to block that proposed office from moving forward.

While the White House has already worked to identify projects the initiative could take up, it’s unclear how, or whether, it would proceed without the proposed coordinating office. While it could blow through the holds to establish the office in defiance of Congress, that could raise thorny legal questions and tee up an ugly fight around the global-infrastructure agenda. Neither the National Security Council nor the State Department would comment for this report.