Infrastructure Bill Negotiators Miss Their Latest Deadline As Talks Stall

Politico: High-Stakes Infrastructure Talks Stall Out As Deadline Passes
Senators capped off a day of trading blame and stalled efforts on their bipartisan infrastructure proposal with a Monday meeting that quickly broke up, signaling a tough path forward as negotiators missed yet another self-imposed deadline. The core 10 senators huddled in the office of Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the lead Republican negotiator, hoping to get past a rough weekend of fruitless talks. Discussions are expected to resume later in the evening, though not in person, and negotiators claimed they were still making progress. (Levine and Everett, 7/26)

The Washington Post: Senate Infrastructure Talks In Political Jeopardy As Infighting Spills Out Into The Open
A bipartisan group of senators negotiating a massive infrastructure bill were on the verge of blowing another self-imposed deadline Monday as the Senate’s top Democrat threatened to keep the chamber in session over the weekend to advance legislation that stands at the top of President Biden’s agenda. For weeks, the 10 Republicans and Democrats hashing out a roughly $1 trillion package to revitalize the nation’s roads, bridges, pipes, ports and Internet connections have insisted that the group was close to finalizing a deal with the White House. In voting to block floor consideration of the package in the Senate last week, GOP senators crafting the deal argued that negotiators were close and that a broad infrastructure agreement was within reach. (Romm, Kim and Duncan, 7/26)

The Hill: Senators Scramble To Save Infrastructure Deal
The White House and senators from both parties are scrambling to pull their infrastructure talks back from the point of collapse, a sudden turnabout after key negotiators expressed confidence they were nearing a final deal. If the talks on the $1.2 billion framework fall apart, it would deal a serious blow to White House hopes of securing a bipartisan deal, an important political win for President Biden and moderate Democrats in the House and Senate. Several Republicans have also put their reputations on the line to get a deal. (Carney, 7/26)

The Wall Street Journal: Infrastructure-Bill Negotiators Try To Overcome Late Hurdles
A push to complete a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure agreement hit a series of hurdles Monday, as aides squabbled over funding for water infrastructure and how to apply a requirement that federal contractors pay their employees a locally prevailing wage, among other issues. Lawmakers had previously set Monday as a target for closing out their talks and beginning floor consideration of the emerging agreement, though that timeline seemed to slip as the two sides sniped at each other. (Duehren, 7/26)

In related news about expanding Medicare —

Axios: Study: Expanding Medicare Eligibility May Shrink Racial Disparities 
Medicare helps to reduce racial and ethnic disparities and close gaps in insurance coverage, a new study in JAMA Network shows. This raises the possibility that expanding the program could further reduce health disparities — a timely idea, as Senate Democrats debate lowering the Medicare eligibility age and broadening its benefits. Medicare access at age 65 sharply reduced the share of Black and Hispanic people reporting poor health and poor access to care, but not mortality, the study notes. (Fernandez, 7/27)

In other news from Capitol Hill —

Axios: Pelosi Expected To Extend Proxy Voting As Delta Variant Surges 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is expected to extend proxy voting through the fall — and potentially until the end of the year — Democratic lawmakers and aides tell Axios. The spread of the Delta variant has alarmed both members and staffers anxious about interacting with the unvaccinated. Pelosi’s anticipated move — continuing an emergency COVID-19 measure enacted last year so lawmakers could vote remotely — is aimed at allaying those concerns. (Nichols, 7/26)