AOC Takes a Shot a Kyrsten Sinema After Senator Says She Opposes Her Party’s Infrastructure Bill

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not happy with fellow Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

On Tuesday, Sinema announced her opposition to her party’s $3.5 trillion infrastructure proposal, citing a concern about the cost. She issued a statement that read:

After reviewing the Senate Budget Committee’s outline, I have told Senate leadership and President Biden that I support many of the goals in this proposal to continue creating jobs, growing American competitiveness, and expanding economic opportunities for Arizonans. I have also made clear that while I will support beginning this process, I do not support a bill that costs $3.5 trillion – and in the coming months, I will work in good faith to develop this legislation with my colleagues and the administration to strengthen Arizona’s economy and help Arizona’s everyday families get ahead.”

Sinema did not specify price tag she would find acceptable.

The declaration came on the same day a bipartisan group of senators that includes Sinema said they had come to an agreement on a separate, much smaller bill on infrastructure. Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been pursuing a two-pronged approach since early June in which Democrats are pursuing a go-it-alone approach on the aforementioned $3.5 trillion proposal while the bipartisan group of senators hammer out a deal to be passed as a separate bill. Sixty votes are needed to begin and end debate in the Senate on bills, but passing a bill through the budget reconciliation process requires just 51 votes.

Shortly after Sinema announced her opposition to the Democrats’ plan as is, Ocasio-Cortez took aim at the Arizona senator and suggested that House Democrats might not pass a version of the budget that’s palatable to Sinema:

Good luck tanking your own party’s investment on childcare, climate action, and infrastructure while presuming you’ll survive a 3 vote House margin – especially after choosing to exclude members of color from negotiations and calling that a “bipartisan accomplishment.” ???? https://t.co/0VF8Z73vAa

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 28, 2021

House progressives such as Ocasio-Cortez have been very vocal about the kinds of line items they want included in a budget bill. While they haven’t pledged to vote against legislation that doesn’t meet their demands, these could loom large as Democrats hold a narrow majority in the House. Moreover, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she won’t bring any bills on infrastructure to the floor until the Senate passes both a bipartisan bill and a larger bill through budget reconciliation.