House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is likening President Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats’ negotiations over his agenda to a scene from the Charlie Brown cartoons.
During a press conference on Thursday, the Republican leader said, “I wonder if the president feels a little like Charlie Brown in that famous scene with the football.”
“His advisers tell him to come back up to the Hill. They promise this time Speaker Pelosi won’t take it out from under him. We will find out today if she does the exact same thing,” he added.
Watch the video below:
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Build Back Better negotiations:
— The Recount (@therecount) October 28, 2021
"It's gonna be the most expensive Thanksgiving for Americans. I wonder if president feels a little like Charlie Brown …" pic.twitter.com/FnEf457Ja2
His comments come after Biden announced the framework for a $1.75 trillion spending package, as IJR reported.
After the framework was released, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she will hold a vote on a separate $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and will “hold the vote open until we get a majority.”
However, House progressives, who have insisted that both bills are passed at the same time, said they want a commitment from Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) that they will support the spending package.
Democrats have a slim majority in the House, and if enough progressives withhold their votes, the infrastructure package will not pass. On Thursday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) signaled she would not vote for the bill as she said, “Hell no.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib walks out of the progressive caucus meeting, says she’s a “Hell no on BIF.”
— Sarah Mucha (@sarahmucha) October 28, 2021
Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) told CNN’s Manu Raju he does not think the House should hold a stand-alone vote on the infrastructure bill.
Earlier on Thursday, he said, “I think the House of Representatives has a right to know before that they sign off on the infrastructure bill that the 50 Senators are prepared to support a strong reconciliation.”
In September, Pelosi scheduled a vote on the infrastructure bill but reversed course after progressives made it clear they would not support it.
Now, the House speaker says she wants to give Biden a “vote of confidence” by passing the bill on Thursday.