AOC on Sinema blocking $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill: 'Good luck tanking your own party's investment'
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter after Sen. Krysten Sinema came out against $3.5 trillion in Democratic infrastructure spending.
- The New York congressman criticized moderate Sinema for "tanking" investment in childcare and climate action.
- Ocasio-Cortez previously called the $3.5 trillion deal a "progressive victory."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took aim at Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a fellow Democrat, after Sinema came out against her party's $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill.
Sinema told the Arizona Republic in a statement that she thinks the bill is too costly, and "will work in good faith to develop this legislation with my colleagues and the administration to strengthen Arizona's economy and help Arizona's everyday families get ahead."
Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to call out the Arizona Democrat, writing: "Good luck tanking your own party's investment on childcare, climate action, and infrastructure while presuming you'll survive a 3 vote House margin - especially after choosing to exclude members of color from negotiations and calling that a 'bipartisan accomplishment.'"
Ocasio-Cortez previously criticized the lack of diversity in the bipartisan group, arguing that it leaves marginalized communities behind.
Sinema is a key moderate for the Democrats, and a main negotiator in the bipartisan infrastructure deal. A group of Republican senators said earlier today that they had reached a bipartisan deal with the White House. That deal cut $30 billion from the new spending proposed, lowering funding for public transit and slashing an infrastructure bank meant to foster private and public partnership. Sinema's opposition will force Senate Democrats to make cuts from the $3.5 trillion agreement they struck earlier this month. It will need all 50 Democrats in the Senate to stick together so it clears the arduous reconciliation process.
AOC is not the only progressive sounding off on the prospects of a slimmed down Democrat-only spending package. Rep. Mondaire Jones of New York also tweeted: "Without a reconciliation package that meets this moment, I'm a no on this bipartisan deal."
At the time, the New York congresswoman said that $3.5 trillion agreement was an "enormous victory," although she would have preferred a larger package.
"This bill is absolutely a progressive victory," Ocasio-Cortez said, according to reporter Kevin Frey of NY1. "If it wasn't for progressives in the House, we probably would be stuck with that tiny, pathetic bipartisan bill alone."