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Neal says internal Democratic temperature “no longer in fever range” after infrastructure battle

Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal speaks with reporters.
Josh Landes
/
WAMC
Congressman Richard Neal speaking in Pittsfield in August 2020.

After bitter internal disputes over President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill, a top Democrat says the party will coalesce around his Build Back Better bill.

Six Democrats voted against Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill after a protracted battle. With 13 Republican votes, the legislation passed late Friday. Democratic Congressman Richard Neal of Massachusetts’ 1st district says he expects the party to band together to back Biden’s almost $2 billion social safety net and climate policy bill known as Build Back Better.

“I think that we're no longer in the fever range as it relates to temperature," said Neal. "I do think that the transportation bill, in the end, passed with a decent majority. It was bipartisan. I think it's unlikely that the BBB will have any bipartisanship. Republicans appear to be pretty dug in in their opposition. This is a once in a career opportunity for members of Congress and for the president to get this over the goal line.”

Democratic leaders say they want to pass the bill by Thanksgiving.

Neal spoke Wednesday in Lee.

Josh Landes has been WAMC's Berkshire Bureau Chief since February 2018 after working at stations including WBGO Newark and WFMU East Orange. A passionate advocate for Berkshire County, Landes was raised in Pittsfield and attended Hampshire College in Amherst, receiving his bachelor's in Ethnomusicology and Radio Production. You can reach him at jlandes@wamc.org with questions, tips, and/or feedback.
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