WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – The Senate’s top Democrat is signaling that he’s ready to ignore fierce Republican opposition and force a vote this week on a commission to study the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
It comes as congressional Democrats are running out of patience, and options, for bipartisanship as they try to move ahead with key parts of President Biden’s legislative agenda.
The partisan stalemate in Washington may be reaching a breaking point as the Senate’s top Democrat signals he’s ready to do an end-run around Republicans to pass President Biden’s sweeping agenda.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said, “We’re not going to let them saying no and stand in our way.”
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer planning to hold a vote as soon as this week on legislation creating a bipartisan commission to investigate the deadly January 6th Capitol siege.
“It’s critically important to establish a trusted record of events and begin to restore faith in our democracy,” Schumer said.
The bill already passed the House with support from 35 Republicans. But GOP leadership opposes it.
With midterm elections coming next year, Republicans want to turn the page from an ugly chapter centering on the former president and focus on countering President Biden’s agenda.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said, “Democrats’ hard-left turn has affected the entire U.S. economy and is hitting American families right where it hurts.”
McConnell and his party taking a hard line against the size and scope of the president’s roughly two trillion dollar infrastructure and jobs bill.
Bipartisan negotiations appear to be stalling out as the Republican counter-offer remains dramatically smaller.
With time and patience running out, Democrats are moving closer to going it alone on key priorities and preparing for a July vote on infrastructure.
The White House says the way forward on infrastructure depends on the updated counter-proposal that Republicans plan to release Wednesday.
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