Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus pushes for infrastructure deal with WH

Washington, DC, June 9, 2021

The leaders of a bipartisan coalition of Congress members spoke to White House officials about efforts to reach an infrastructure deal on Tuesday, a House aide familiar with the call told Axios.

Driving the news: Problem Solvers Co-Chairs Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) are pushing for a $1.249 trillion bipartisan agreement after negotiations between President Biden and a Republican group led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) broke down earlier Tuesday.

  • Their proposal has far more in new spending — $761.8 billion over 8 years — compared to the proposal from the Capito-led GOP group.
  • Gottheimer is working closely with Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), key senators involved in the bipartisan "G20" group Biden is now negotiating in earnest with.

Our thought bubble: The Problem Solvers Caucus isn't as influential as the Senate group when it comes to striking a deal with the White House, but they will be helpful in selling the infrastructure proposal to their House colleagues.