WASHINGTON — House Democrats delayed a planned vote Thursday on a major infrastructure package, heading home for the night after intraparty fighting hamstrung their ability to pass the legislation.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., announced after a series of late-night negotiations that the vote had been postponed indefinitely as Democrats battle over the way forward on President Joe Biden's agenda.
The party's centrist wing wanted the infrastructure bill to be passed quickly, painting the $550 billion package as a bipartisan win. But the left wing of the party is resisting, arguing that the House should delay passing the infrastructure bill to gain leverage to force the Senate to pass a larger $3.5 trillion social safety net package.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., spent hours trying to broker a deal, with lawmakers shuffling in and out of her office, but eventually gave up in the 10 p.m. hour.
Just after midnight as she departed the Capitol, Pelosi said that a vote would happen Friday. “There will be a vote today," she said.
