Pelosi strikes confident tone on infrastructure, says she ‘never’ brings bill to floor without the votes

Pelosi on Sunday vowed that Democrats will pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told House Democrats in a letter Sunday night to fellow Democrats that the $1 trillion infrastructure bill will be voted on Thursday after doing her best Joe Namath imitation by guaranteeing that the bill will be passed.

"We’re going to pass the bill this week," she told ABC’s "This Week." "I’m never bringing a bill to the floor that doesn’t have the votes."

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Pelosi on Sunday vowed that Democrats will pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week and push ahead on the bigger $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate change bill while acknowledging the total amount will drop.

"Tomorrow, September 27, we will begin debate on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework on the Floor of the House and vote on it on Thursday, September 30, the day on which the surface transportation authorization expires," Pelosi said in a letter, according to Reuters.

President Biden seemed to strike a more uncertain tone. He was asked by reporters at the White House-- after returning from Camp David-- if Pelosi secured enough votes on infrastructure and he said it is "going to take the better part of this week."

Democrats have few votes to spare in the House and no votes to spare in the 50-50 Senate if there is no Republican support to enact Biden’s massive "Build Back Better" agenda. Republicans in the Senate are in lockstep against the larger measure.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, took to Twitter Sunday to stress the importance of passing the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package.

"We don’t pass the infrastructure bill without passing the Build Back Better Act, investing in child care, climate action, paid leave, housing, health care, education, and a roadmap to citizenship," she posted. "Let’s get this done and deliver for the people."

Asked on ABC if she agrees the final number on the so-called reconciliation bill will be "somewhat smaller" than $3.5 trillion, Pelosi responded: "That seems self-evident."

Jayapal said if someone wants to take something out of the reconciliation package, "we need to hear what it is."

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Pelosi has not set a date to bring the $3.5 trillion social welfare and climate bill, Reuters reported.

John Podesta, the former counselor to Barack Obama, told Politico that it could be "disastrous" if Democrats in the 2022 midterms.

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"If you pull out the fact that when Democrats were in control they couldn’t do anything for you, then drawing attention to how wacky the Republicans have become doesn’t mean a lot."

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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