“This was never about getting people back to work or kids back to school or the disease behind us. That's where it should have been focused.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) appeared on “Meet the Press” this morning to discuss why he opposed Democrats’ $1.9 trillion spending bill. Barrasso also talked about how Republicans and Democrats can work together on an infrastructure bill modeled after bipartisan legislation he championed last Congress.

Below are key excerpts of the interview:

On Opposing Democrats’ $1.9 Trillion Bill:

“When people find out what's in this bill, they're going to lose any enthusiasm they may have for it right now. This was not really about the coronavirus in terms of the spending. This was a liberal wish list of liberal spending, just basically filled with pork. It didn't need to be this way.

“We passed five bipartisan coronavirus relief bills already. Every Republican voted against it, but also some Democrats voted against it. Joe Biden in his inaugural address said I want to work together with you, we can work together. Ten Republicans went to the White House and said, all right, let's work together.

“Instead the White House chief of staff said this is the most progressive, the most progressive piece of domestic legislation in a generation. This was never about getting people back to work or kids back to school or the disease behind us. That's where it should have been focused.”

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso talking about Democrats’ $1.9 trillion bill.

On Potential for Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal with Pres. Biden:

“If he's truly interested in bipartisan support as he said he was on the coronavirus relief and then he ignored that, what we need to do is take a look at the bill that passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on highways, infrastructure last Congress. I was chair of that committee, worked closely with Tom Carper, the Democrat. It passed unanimously. Bernie Sanders voted for it.

“I talked to Mayor Pete, now Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, just the other day about it. When it passed through our committee, we then had it in the House. They threw it out, a bipartisan supported bill and replaced it with the Green New Deal, which raises energy costs on people, puts all kinds of mandates in place, and I think it would be very bad for the economy.

“If they want to work with us, take up what Bernie Sanders and John Barrasso agreed to last year in the Environment and Public Works Committee. That is the blueprint for infrastructure.”

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso talking about potential bipartisan infrastructure deal.

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