House Democrats on Wednesday unveiled a $760 billion five-year plan aimed at rebuilding U.S. infrastructure.
The plan does not contain the legislative details to become law, but it serves as a guide for the House committees that will advance legislation affecting the country’s highways, airports, and waterways.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said that the plan, dubbed the “Moving Forward Framework,” is “just one part of what we will have” when it comes to infrastructure. Other projects will focus on housing, education, and construction.
How to pay for the infrastructure plan has not been determined. Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, mentioned that last spring, President Trump pegged infrastructure projects totaling $2 trillion. Neal said that number seemed to be in the ballpark, but he said, “We will not volunteer a revenue stream until the administration” is on board.
Democrats and Trump attempted last spring to join together on infrastructure legislation, but that effort ended abruptly when the conversation turned to Democrats announcing that they were opening an impeachment investigation into Trump’s actions.
The speaker stressed that the $760 billion cost is for all five years, which leaves another $1.2 trillion in limbo if $2 trillion is the total cost. Pelosi also said that there is no timeline for when House Democratic leaders will present the final draft of the legislation.
“We’ll go to the floor when we’re ready,” Pelosi said. “Don’t worry about the timetable.”
