PHILADELPHIA – Infrastructure wasn’t originally part of congressional Republicans’ plans for the first 200 days, but it was added out of deference to President Donald Trump, a Republican House member told reporters.
“The President asked that the infrastructure piece be included in the 200-day plan. And the impression that I got is that the Speaker [Paul Ryan] recognizes the importance of that to the President and that is now part of the 200-day plan,” Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) told reporters at the GOP retreat in Philadelphia Wednesday.
“Initially without the President’s input, that would not have been the case, but our President has been pretty clear on setting his priorities,” he said.
Trump made infrastructure spending a major promise of his campaign, but there is a rift among Republicans as to how to pay for it and what shape it should take. While Trump has expressed comfort with borrowing the money, congressional Republicans have said they would favor only a plan that is deficit neutral. Republicans would also prefer a plan centered on private investments and tax breaks for corporations to take on infrastructure projects – an approach Democrats would likely resist.
Collins said the infrastructure legislation would be coming “front and center.”
