Pelosi, Schumer pressure Trump on infrastructure

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer want President Donald Trump to use their White House meeting this week to discuss the thorniest aspect of a major infrastructure package: how to pay for it. But Democratic leaders are already digging in on the issue – making funding demands that could potentially blow up the talks before they even really begin. A source close to Schumer said unless Trump considers rolling back some of the 2017 Republican tax cuts, the top Senate Democrat won’t even consider a proposal from the president to raise the gas tax. A spokesman for Pelosi did not immediately return a request for comment on whether she agreed with the position. It’s unlikely Trump would agree to renegotiate his major legislative achievement — leaving party leaders without a clear way to pay for any bipartisan infrastructure deal. “As you know, the issue of infrastructure is a bipartisan congressional priority and we believe there are significant majorities in both the House and Senate to take action on the issue,” Pelosi and Schumer wrote to Trump on Monday. In the letter, Democratic leaders outlined three areas where they want to work with the president when they gather at the White House on Tuesday. In addition to revenue, the top two Democrats want Trump to agree that any infrastructure deal will expand beyond transportation to include water and energy projects, among other initiatives, and rely on products and companies based in the U.S. The topic of how to fund the nation’s highways and transit systems has vexed leaders of both parties for years, with lawmakers refusing to raise the gas tax since it was last increased more than 25 years ago. And it isn’t any easier this time around, with congressional leaders and Trump eyeing a potentially multi-trillion dollar public works infusion. But the letter is also a way for Democratic leaders to try to set the tone ahead of the highly-anticipated meeting, the first huddle between the two sides since a combative Oval Office meeting in December to talk government funding. This is also the first time Trump and Pelosi will meet at the White House since she won back the speaker’s gavel in January. Democrats have been bracing for the meeting and are taking steps to anticipate and counteract Trump’s unpredictability — everything from whether the president will try to televise the entire gathering to what to do if he veers off script and into discussions about special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. Pelosi and Schumer will be accompanied by several House and Senate Democrats who will have a say in any infrastructure deal. Top Democrats are also expected to huddle Monday night to plan for their encounter with Trump. The meeting comes as House Democrats are simultaneously pursuing a barrage of investigations into nearly every aspect of Trump’s orbit, from his administration to his business dealings and personal finances. Just this week, House Democrats are expected to hear from Attorney General William Barr on his handling of the Mueller report as well as a former top official on potential security clearance abuses inside the administration. But House Democrats have repeatedly sparred with top administration officials over the parameters of such hearings and their refusal to testify or provide documents lawmakers are demanding. Still, Pelosi has long said infrastructure is an area where House Democrats can come together with Trump and the GOP-controlled Senate this Congress. The idea — which Trump made a central plank of his campaign for the White House — was a focus of Democrats’ annual retreat earlier this month. And Pelosi called Trump in early April and personally requested the meeting. In addition to Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) will attend the meeting. House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) are also on the invite list. On the Senate side, Schumer will be accompanied by Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and other members of Democratic leadership, including Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the ranking Democrats whose committees deal with transportation, will also attend. Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine Source: https://politi.co/2vBfL6Z Droolin’ Dog sniffed out this story and shared it with you. The Article Was Written/Published By: hcaygle@politico.com (Heather Caygle) ! #Headlines, #Congress, #Democrats, #Political, #Politico, #politics, #Trending, #Trump, #Newsfeed, #syndicated, news http://bit.ly/2PGGxnC
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