U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is suggesting the Biden administration is “close to a fish-or-cut bait moment” when it comes to negotiations over infrastructure.
CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Buttigieg on Sunday if there is not an agreement with Republicans, will Democrats “go it alone.”
“I think we are getting pretty close to a fish-or-cut-bait moment, but I will tell you that, on the fishing side of things, the negotiations have been healthy,” Buttigieg said.
He added, “There’s a lot of conversations going on among members of Congress who have come forward with a lot of different ideas in addition to the discussions that we have had with the group led by Sen. Capito. So we believe in this process but also very much agree that this can’t go on forever.”
Watch his comments below:
Transportation Secy. Buttigieg thinks the Biden admin. is "getting pretty close to a fish or cut bait moment" on bipartisan infrastructure negotiations: "This can't go on in terms of the condition of our infrastructure, therefore, the negotiations can't go on forever either" pic.twitter.com/FghvjynX6t
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 30, 2021
Buttigieg noted the United States is in 13th place in infrastructure and “probably headed in the wrong direction.”
He explained, “This can’t go on in terms of the condition of our infrastructure. Therefore the negotiations can’t go on forever either.”
Last week, a group of Senate Republicans unveiled a $928 billion infrastructure proposal as an alternative to Biden’s nearly $2 trillion plan.
Capito led Republicans in creating the plan, “It sticks to the core infrastructure features that we talked to initially. It is a serious effort to reach a bipartisan agreement,” she told reporters.
The West Virginia senator complimented Biden on his “innate Senate negotiating skills.” Additionally, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said the president is “a straight shooter.”
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said Biden “understands the importance of finding a place where everybody can be moving forward.”
According to the senators, Biden indicated during negotiations he would be open to a $1 trillion package spread out over the span of eight years.