Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday forecasted a “big argument” between Republicans, Democrats, and President Joe Biden over plans for a large-scale infrastructure package, The Hill reports.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is looking to hold a vote on a smaller, bipartisan infrastructure plan once the Senate returns from its July 4 recess, while Democrats hope they can pass a larger bill later, before the Senate’s August recess, and bypass the threat of a filibuster through reconciliation.
"The era of bipartisanship on this stuff is over,” McConnell said during an event in Kentucky, referring to work on a spending package. “This is not going to be done on a bipartisan basis. This is going to be a hell of a fight over what this country ought to look like in the future and it's going to unfold here in the next few weeks. I don't think we've had a bigger difference of opinion between the two parties.”
He added, "There is a process by which they could pass this without a single Republican. But we're going to make it hard for them. And there are a few Democrats left in rural America and some others who would like to be more in the political center who may find this offensive.”
The minority leader went on to say that Biden is a “nice guy,” but said he has not “seen any evidence yet of moderation” from his administration.
"On things of this magnitude ... we're not going to have an agreement. We're going to have a big argument. ... There's no mandate to do this stuff. So we're there to argue about this and to hopefully in the end prevail," McConnell said.
The senator also said that the inability to reach an agreement was not because of personal animosity, but rather a difference of opinion.
“We do not hate each other,” he said, "we do a lot of things on a bipartisan basis. ... It's not that we have personality problems with each other, it's not that we have a lack of collegiality. On the things we can agree on, we do them.”
McConnell said that a bipartisan bill is possible, but said that Republicans need to see more details about the proposal.
"If that's credibly paid for, as opposed to adding it to the debt, I think there's a way forward on that portion of it," he said. "Maybe we'll get there."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.