White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is not explicitly saying whether President Joe Biden will sign a bipartisan infrastructure package if Senate Democrats do not also pass an extra spending bill.
During a press briefing on Monday, Psaki was asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins if Biden would sign the partisan infrastructure bill even if an extra spending bill is not passed by Congress.
“The president looks forward to and expects to sign each piece of legislation into law. And he’s going to work his heart out getting both of them across the finish line,” she responded.
However, Collins pushed back, noting, “If the infrastructure bill arrives and the reconciliation package is not here yet, no one has clarified that ‘Yes, he will sign it.'”
“Well, again, Kaitlan, I know we’re quite focused sometimes on process in here and hypotheticals. The president is focused on selling this package to the American people — both packages, I should say — that’s what he’ll be doing tomorrow in Wisconsin. And we’ll be working closely with leaders in Congress to move both of these pieces of legislation forward,” Psaki said.
Collins said, “So the White House is not going to say yes, he will sign the infrastructure bill if it comes alone to his desk.”
“The president expects to sign each piece of legislation into law,” Psaki reiterated.
Watch the video below:
Reporter: "So the White House is not going to say yes, he will sign the infrastructure bill if it comes alone to his desk.@PressSec: The president expects to sign each piece of legislation into law." pic.twitter.com/dPOPnUvT25
— The Hill (@thehill) June 28, 2021
On Thursday, Biden announced that he had reached a deal with a bipartisan group of senators on the framework for an infrastructure package, as IJR reported.
However, Biden quickly clouded the optimism surrounding the deal when he appeared to say he would not sign the infrastructure package unless Congressional Democrats pass a separate bill containing more of his spending priorities.
Speaking to reporters at the White House later on Thursday, Biden said, “I expect that in the coming months this summer, before the fiscal year is over, that we will have voted on this bill, the infrastructure bill, as well as voted on the budget resolution. But if only one comes to me, this is the only one that comes to me, I’m not signing it. It’s in tandem.”
However, in a statement on Saturday, he sought to clarify his comments as he said, “At a press conference after announcing the bipartisan agreement, I indicated that I would refuse to sign the infrastructure bill if it was sent to me without my Families Plan and other priorities.”
“My comments also created the impression that I was issuing a veto threat on the very plan I had just agreed to, which was certainly not my intent,” he added.
Biden was asked on Monday, “Will you say on camera what your statement said Saturday, what is your bottom line on infrastructure?”
"My bottom line on infrastructure is exactly what we negotiated" — Biden pic.twitter.com/lxAEXIz6WN
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 28, 2021
“My bottom line on infrastructure is exactly what we negotiated,” he responded.
