Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) indicated that congressional Republicans would not support the Biden administration’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan, in comments to reporters on Thursday.
“That package that they’re putting together now, as much as we would like to address infrastructure, is not going to get support from our side. Because I think the last thing the economy needs right now is a big, whopping tax increase,” McConnell said.
“You’re either alarmed about the level of national debt and the future impact of that on our children and our grandchildren or you aren’t,” McConnell told reporters. “My view of infrastructure is that we ought to build that which we can afford and not either whack the economy with major tax increases or run up the national debt even more.”
McConnell added, “I’m going to fight them every step of the way.”
Republicans have criticized the plan’s increase of the corporate tax rate from 21 to 28 percent. The administration is reportedly considering other tax increases to fund the plan, including higher taxes on Americans making over $400,000 a year.
If all 50 Senate Republicans oppose the measure, Democrats will be forced to attempt to pass the legislation via budget reconciliation procedures, which allow certain bills to pass the Senate with a majority of votes. Democrats used the process to pass the party’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill.