CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., hosted Republican colleagues, Cabinet members and White House officials on Tuesday for a discussion related to infrastructure.
The meeting came less than a week after Republican senators met with President Joe Biden on a possible compromise between the Republicans’ $568 billion legislative framework and the Biden administration’s $2.3 trillion plan.
Capito, the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is leading the GOP group on infrastructure talks. Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, and Roger Wicker of Mississippi also attended Tuesday’s meeting.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo were also in attendance. Representatives of the White House included White House Counselor Steve Ricchetti, Director of Legislative Affairs Louisa Terrell and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese.
“Senator Capito feels encouraged about the meeting,” Capito communications director Kelley Moore said in a statement. “In terms of next steps, the White House has conveyed that they would follow up with the group later this week.”
Biden put forward the American Jobs Plan in March, which includes $621 billion for transportation infrastructure, $111 billion for water system upgrades, and $100 billion for high-speed broadband. The proposal also includes funding for “human infrastructure” such as education and child care.
The GOP framework focuses more on traditional infrastructure projects; the plan dedicates $299 billion for roads and bridges, $35 billion for drinking water and wastewater systems, and $65 billion for broadband infrastructure.
The two plans also differ in generating revenue; Republicans have suggested adjusting user fees and repurposing unused federal dollars, while Biden has proposed multiple tax changes, including an increase of the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%.
Biden hosted Capito and the Republican senators last Thursday, in which both sides left the meeting optimistic about possibly reaching a deal. Biden did ask the GOP coalition to provide more details about spending and revenue generation.