GOP Rep: Pelosi Doesn't Have The Votes For $3.5 Trillion Spending Bill

DANA BASH, CNN: Do you think, just more broadly, it's a bit rich that, under President Trump, the national debt climbed almost $8 trillion, and now some of your colleagues are worried about the debt again?

SEN. BILL CASSIDY: Well, on the other hand, first -- the first part of your thing, let's face it, a lot of that spending was in response to COVID, OK?

So, we understood, when COVID broke, we had to put out Payroll Protection Plan.

BASH: That's true, but a lot of it happened before COVID.

CASSIDY: But, secondly, I will point out that President Trump proposed a $1.5 trillion package, which most Republicans were all for, and only 5 percent of it was paid for.

We have $550 billion of new spending, of which we can reasonably say is paid for, but certainly one-half by CBO score. And now folks are saying, oh, can't vote for that. OK, well, that's OK.

But, on the other hand, we're creating jobs. We're creating bridges. We're protecting people from flooding. Hopefully, they change their mind.

BASH: So, many in your party say that they're opposed to this on its substance, but also because that it's really just cover, giving cover to Democrats, so that they can pass their multitrillion-dollar reconciliation bill.

I know you say they're separate, but a lot of Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, don't necessarily see it that way. Are they playing you here?

CASSIDY: The fact that Pelosi says she has to link them tells you she doesn't have the votes for the $3.5 trillion package.

One of my colleagues said, hey -- a Democratic colleague said, infrastructure is the dessert. The $3.5 trillion, spend a lot of money and tax a lot of money, is spinach. I have eaten my dessert, and now I'm supposed to eat my spinach? I don't think so.

The other thing, the Problem Solvers Caucus, a coalition of 28 Republicans, 28 Democrats, headed by Gottheimer and Fitzpatrick, have come out in favor of this. She doesn't need a radical left wing. She can pass the infrastructure package with just that committed group of American congress men and women who want to see our country get better to have the $110 billion for the roads and bridges and highways, et cetera, and the new jobs.

They can pass the infrastructure package without having the radical left. And that, I think, opens a pathway.