WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Conservatives on Capitol Hill are trying to slam the brakes on the bipartisan infrastructure package after a new nonpartisan study found the deal could add billions to the national deficit.
The White House insists it’s all paid for.
Some Republicans are attacking the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal after the Congressional Budget Office predicted the plan will add $256 billion to the federal deficit over the next ten years.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called the deal “reckless federal spending.”
Conservatives like Cruz say the Republicans and Democrats who sold the package as an affordable investment are dead wrong.
“This is a bait and switch,” Cruz said. “The pay-fors are quite simply gimmicks.”
Joel Griffith with the Heritage Foundation agrees and says Republicans need to fight the bill.
“This is just a trojan horse,” Griffith said.
But the White House says the Congressional Budget Office missed some additional revenue and some savings, including “over $200 billion in lower costs for emergency programs,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
White House Economist Heather Boushey says the investment will pay for itself.
“Making sure that bridges don’t fall down means that folks can get to work,” Boushey said. “Making sure people have access to broadband that’s going to keep business working … these are the kind of investments that are going to pay off over the long term.”
Cruz maintains American taxpayers will get the bill for the plan.
“If you pay taxes, they’re going up,” he said.
But Boushey insists the infrastructure spending won’t cost the middle class.
“The president has been crystal clear from day one that he will not raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year,” Boushey said.
Senators are in session this weekend to work on the plan. Democrats need at least ten Republican “yes” votes to push the bill forward.