Progressive Caucus Chair Jayapal Knocks ‘Conservative Democrats Stand[ing] in the Way’ of Biden Agenda

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Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D- WA), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, knocked “conservative Democrats” after a critical Democratic meeting with the president.

Democrats have been negotiating this week on passing the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. Progressives have prioritized the latter, but it is facing opposition from Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema.

Jayapal said this week progressives would stick to the deal to pass the $3.5 trillion legislation before taking up the infrastructure package. On Monday she said Democrats should stick to that deal.

As soon as we pass the Build Back Better bill with long-overdue investments in working families, Progressives will vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

That's the deal we agreed to more than three months ago. Stick to it.

— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) September 27, 2021

If we don’t pass our agenda together — that’s infrastructure AND paid leave, child care, climate action, and more — then we’re leaving millions of working people behind.

Progressives are fighting to keep our promise to those who delivered us the House, Senate, and White House.

— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) September 28, 2021

Jayapal said days earlier that a sizable number of Democrats would not vote for the infrastructure package without passing the $3.5 trillion bill.

House Democrats met with President Joe Biden on Friday. That meeting was followed by a meeting of the progressive caucus.

After that meeting, Jayapal made a point of knocking “a handful of conservative Democrats” she said are “standing in our way.”

Let’s be clear: 96% of Democrats agree on how we deliver the President’s entire Build Back Better agenda.

A few conservative Democrats are standing in our way of delivering transformational change to families across America..https://t.co/BuWu2RWGth

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) October 1, 2021

Last night, we fought to protect @POTUS' popular agenda and make sure we deliver for working people.

Massive corporations and a handful of conservative Democrats did everything they could to stop us. They still are.

We are fighting for the people and we aren’t backing down.

— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) October 1, 2021

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