Five Republican senators negotiating the bipartisan infrastructure framework said Wednesday they have reached an agreement on the “major issues” of the bill with Senate Democrats and the White House, potentially capping weeks of talks that at times appeared on the brink of collapse.
Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, who has been leading negotiations for Republicans, announced the breakthrough after meeting with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and four other Republican senators. A vote to advance the measure would require 60 votes, meaning 10 Republicans would have to join all Democrats in voting to begin debate.
“We look forward to moving ahead and having the opportunity to have a healthy debate here in the chamber,” Portman told reporters. The Ohio Republican added that the text of the legislation still needed to be finalized.
The proposal, which is expected to include $550 billion in new spending, would prioritize funding for physical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and broadband internet.