'If we don't get consensus in America, we're in trouble': Biden condemns calls to strip 13 Republicans who backed his infrastructure bill of committee assignments
President Joe Biden unequivocally condemned House Republicans for 'threatening' their colleagues who voted with Democrats on the bipartisan infrastructure bill at a virtual event on Tuesday.
'It's just not right. We're going to change it, though,' Biden
vowed.
Speaking at a Democratic National Committee town hall, the president, 78, addressed reports that some members of the House GOP are pushing to strip the 13 Republicans who helped pass Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill in a late Friday night vote.
'I know I get in trouble when I talk about "bipartisan," because people say, "Why the devil would I like any Republicans?" Well, it's important. We are - unless we get - generate consensus in America, we're in trouble,' he told DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.
Biden, famous for having friends on both sides of the aisle during his decades-long career in Washington, said the hyper-partisan environment was unlike anything he'd seen before.
'You know, the Republicans who voted in the House of Representatives for the infrastructure bill - you've seen in the press the reports that the other Republicans are trying to strip them of their standing in their Congress,' the president said.
'If they're a chairman of a committee, they're trying to strip them of that chairmanship.
'I've never seen it like this before. It's got to stop for the sake of America.'The bill, which passed the Senate in August, contains $550 billion in new spending. It includes funding for roads, bridges, public transit, broadband expansion and clean water, among other Democrat deliverables.
Six Democrats voted against the legislation along with 200 Republicans.
It finally passed the House after months of inter-party gridlock as progressives withheld support until they could get a vote on a larger $1.75 trillion social and climate spending plan that has no GOP support. Along with passing the bipartisan bill, Democrats moved to hold a vote for the progressive bill next week.
President Joe Biden vowed to change the hyper-partisan environment in Washington in his Tuesday remarks
Biden took a hands-on approach to getting his agenda secured, visiting the US Capitol twice to speak to the Democratic caucus.
On Tuesday night he accused House Republicans of attacking their own colleagues just for scoring Biden and the Democrats a win.
'The one thing we generated consensus on - and then the very people who voted for it initially - because it looked like the Democrats were going to be given credit for something - are now being threatened with their chairmanships,' he said.
The Republicans who voted in favor of the bill are Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, Andrew Garbarino, John Katko and Tom Reed of New York; Reps. Jeff Van Drew and Chris Smith of New Jersey; Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia, Rep. Don Young of Alaska and Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan.Greene was stripped of her committee assignments herself earlier this year after a House vote over her spreading violent and hateful rhetoric on social media before taking office.
And on Monday, the baker's dozen received a lashing from former President Donald Trump during his remarks at a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner.
Rep. Malliotakis, who was one of the few of the group in the audience, was 'visibly shaken' by Trump's speech, the New York Post reported.
Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Reps. Nicole Malliotakis and John Katko of New York are three of the 13 Republicans who voted for Biden's bill, arguing it would be good for their districts
Malliotakis was one of the 'yes's who defended her decision after the late Friday vote
For her part, the freshman Republican from Staten Island defended her vote on Twitter.
'I cast my vote FOR the bipartisan infrastructure bill and AGAINST advancing the socialist spending spree,' Malliotakis wrote.
'For far too long our leaders have failed to modernize our aging roads, highways & bridges, upgrade sewer systems & implement flood resiliency projects.'
On Tuesday Trump also attacked GOP Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, who was one of the Republican senators who voted for the bill back in August.
'Why is it that Old Crow Mitch McConnell voted for a terrible Democrat Socialist Infrastructure Plan, and induced others in his Party to do likewise, when he was incapable of getting a great Infrastructure Plan wanting to be put forward by me and the Republican Party?' Trump said in a statement through his Save America PAC.
Some Democrats have pointed out the double-standard between Republicans' ire toward their colleagues who voted for Biden's plan and their silence on a member of their caucus, Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, sharing a cartoon video online that depicts him killing Progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking Biden.
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