WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) moved ahead with a procedural vote to begin debating the bipartisan infrastructure package. But it didn’t get past that.
Some Republicans said this vote would’ve had a better chance to pass if the majority leader had simply pushed the vote back until Monday, but Schumer went ahead with it anyhow.
With this vote, the “bipartisan” infrastructure package hit a major pothole, for now.
“If we want Americans to prosper in the 21st century, if we want to restore that fundamental promise, we need to invest in our infrastructure,” Schumer said.
Schumer scheduled a vote on the bill, even though Senate Republicans and Democrats were still working on the details. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says Schumer jumped the gun.
“Around here we typically write the bills before we vote on them,” McConnell said.
Every Republican voted no.
“The majority leader was well aware of how this vote would go before it happened. But he chose to move forward with it anyway,” McConnell said.
Schumer says a yes vote today, would have begun debate and given the Senate and the bipartisan group of senators working on the bill, a chance to work out the details.
“We often agree to move forward with debates on issues before we have final texts of the bill in hand,” Schumer said.
But Republicans dug in, insisting they wanted a chance to read the bill before they voted on it.
In a bizarre parliamentary move, Schumer ended up voting against the bill. Under Senate rules, it allows him to bring the bill up again, later, which he promises to do.