Democrats seek to calm nervous left | TheHill

Democratic leaders are trying to assure nervous progressives that their priorities for climate change, paid family leave and other “human infrastructure” can still be delivered even with President BidenJoe BidenSchumer vows to advance two-pronged infrastructure plan next month Biden appoints veteran housing, banking regulator as acting FHFA chief Iran claims U.S. to lift all oil sanctions but State Department says 'nothing is agreed' MORE embracing a much more narrowly focused Senate infrastructure deal.Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiSchumer vows to advance two-pronged infrastructure plan next month Senators say White House aides agreed to infrastructure 'framework' Tim Cook called Pelosi to say tech antitrust bills were rushed MORE (D-Calif.) made clear Thursday that the House won’t vote on any bipartisan infrastructure deal until the Senate also passes a larger package with Democratic priorities through the budget reconciliation process that can evade a GOP filibuster.It was a move by Pelosi intended to calm the unrest among liberals, and it sent a strong signal to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue as well.“Let me be really clear on this: we will not take up a bill in the House until the Senate passes the bipartisan bill and a reconciliation bill. Schumer stressed Thursday that infrastructure will proceed on the two tracks.“If the Senate is going to move forward with a bipartisan infrastructure bill, we must also move forward on a budget resolution as well,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.Rep. Pramila JayapalPramila JayapalEnergized Trump probes pose problems for Biden Democrats fear they are running out of time on Biden agenda Garland: Review of Trump-era politicization should fall to DOJ watchdog MORE (D-Wash.), the leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said a recent poll of the group's 95 members found overwhelming support for the House waiting to pass a bipartisan bill until a larger package with liberal priorities moves simultaneously. Any GOP support for the bipartisan portion would also give space for some progressives dissatisfied with that half of the infrastructure plan to vote against it.Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezHouse Democrats unveil spending bill to boost staff pay, maintain lawmaker pay freeze Five takeaways from New York's primaries Ocasio-Cortez says she ranked Wiley first, Stringer second in NYC mayoral vote MORE (D-N.Y.) criticized the bipartisan infrastructure deal for its lack of diversity among the negotiators who stood with Biden at the White House to unveil it on Thursday.“The diversity of this ‘bipartisan coalition’ pretty perfectly conveys which communities get centered and which get left behind when leaders prioritize bipartisan dealmaking over inclusive lawmaking (which prioritizes delivering the most impact possible for the most people),” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter.“This is not to say that any/all bipartisan deals are bad but it’s to ask people to actually read what’s inside them instead of assume bipartisan=good,” Ocasio-Cortez continued.