In an apparent last ditch effort to save his infrastructure bill Friday night, President Joe Biden cancelled his travel plans to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and picked up the horn to call Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and other progressives.
Jayapal, who is the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), left a CPC meeting early to take Biden’s call. The message was clear: vote to pass the president’s infrastructure bill and he would promise to work with them on a mutual path forward.
Jayapal reportedly asked for a show of hands of those who would not back the infrastructure bill; roughly 20 progressives raised their hands. Additionally, Biden separately called into a meeting of the Progressive Caucus and spoke on speakerphone to the members, according to two sources familiar with the call.
In the meantime, House leadership is pressing ahead with a plan to vote on a separate infrastructure bill and the rule governing debate for the social spending bill.
When asked if she felt confident the votes were present to pass the bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi replied, “I have the speakers’ secret whip count… I do believe there are a large number of members of the progressive caucus who will vote for the bill.”