Bipartisan group reaches infrastructure deal

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After yesterday's devastating testimony about the attack on the U.S. Capitol in January, it's nice to get some hopeful news from Washington today. The bipartisan group of senators that has been working on an infrastructure package has announced that they've reached a funding deal. This is quite a turnaround from just two days ago, when the group missed a Monday deadline and talks temporarily broke down. The bill still has to pass both chambers, which is no sure thing, but the symbolism of the two sides working together on legislation of critical importance to Americans should not be lost. Jan. 6 didn't break us. And while no one would be naive enough to suggest the threat is over—it isn't by a long shot—any progress toward respectful cooperation and solutions-oriented governance is exactly that: progress. Let's keep the faith. —Melissa Amour, Managing Editor

Ed. Note: THE TOPLINE will be on a brief summer hiatus beginning tomorrow. We'll return on Tuesday, Aug. 3. See you then!

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** 'We are very excited to have a deal'
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At long last, can it be true? According to a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators, it is—they have reached a deal on an infrastructure package. A procedural vote on the measure is expected to take place as early as this evening. Sen. Rob Portman told reporters that although the group is still completing the legislative text, all the major issues have been ironed out, and both President Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have been informed. "We are prepared to move forward," Portman said. Woo-hoo! ([link removed])
* — The deal comes a week after a failed test vote in the Senate, which prompted Republicans to criticize Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for moving too quickly. Expected to be around $1.2 trillion over eight years with roughly $559 billion in new spending, the bill is fully paid for, according to Portman. The group is awaiting a final price tag from the Congressional Budget Office. ([link removed])
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* — "We are rooting for it." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she is encouraged by a likely Senate deal but won't commit to passing it until the House has a chance to review it. Pelosi also reiterated that she will not bring it up for a vote until the Senate passes a budget resolution outlining the terms of a separate $3.5 trillion social spending package. "We are hoping for the best," she said. ([link removed])
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* — Sen. John Thune says he is open to voting for it, though he still wants to see the final details. Thune, the Senate minority whip, told reporters, "I want to encourage this because I think it's good to have a bipartisan exercise around here once in a while on something that matters, and it's important to people in the country." Well, yeah, isn't that the point? —NPR ([link removed])

MORE: Biden pushes for stronger cybersecurity in critical infrastructure, wants companies to do more —CNBC ([link removed])


** Thompson: Yesterday's hearing was only the beginning
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"Jan. 6 was supposed to be about the peaceful transfer of power after an election, a hallmark of democracy and our American tradition. The rioters went to the Capitol that day to obstruct this solemn action—and nearly succeeded while defacing and looting the halls of the Capitol in the process. The committee will provide the definitive accounting of one of the darkest days in our history. Armed with answers, we hope to identify actions that Congress and the executive branch can take to help ensure that it never happens again." —Bennie Thompson in ([link removed]) The Washington Post ([link removed])

Bennie Thompson represents Mississippi's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the chair of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol.

MORE: DOJ declines to back Mo Brooks' defense against Swalwell's Capitol riot lawsuit —The Hill ([link removed])


** Trumpers take a hit in Texas
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Republican Texas State Rep. Jake Ellzey won Texas' 6th District special election runoff race yesterday to replace U.S. Rep. Ron Wright, who passed away from COVID-19 in February. Ellzey defeated Susan Wright, the late congressman's widow, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, among others. Wright also had the financial support of groups such as the Club for Growth, Make America Great Action PAC, and House Freedom Action, making her defeat more noteworthy. When Ellzey is sworn in, Republicans will have 212 Republican members to 220 Democrats in the House. —Washington Examiner ([link removed])

MORE: George P. Bush learns the GOP's Trump lesson the hard way —Yahoo! News ([link removed])


** Welcome to the immigration stalemate, Joe Biden
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It just isn't an immigration proposal if it isn't panned on both sides of the aisle. The White House unveiled a 21-point plan yesterday outlining its full strategy on immigration, and it immediately took bipartisan flak: from the left over the call for swift deportations, and from the right over the increase in migrants at the southern border. Yet, although the plan is deeply critical of the previous administration's "irrational and inhumane policies," there is arguably more in it to please border hawks. Namely, it leads with border management policies, relegating the administration's "root causes" initiative to the last section. And then there's this: "We will always be a nation of borders, and we will enforce our immigration laws in a way that is fair and just," the document states. "We will continue to work to fortify an orderly immigration system." —The Hill ([link removed])

MORE: Gov. Greg Abbott orders Texas National Guard to help with migrant arrests at the border —The Texas Tribune ([link removed])
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** Slaughter & Ashby: The West needs to get smart about Russia...fast
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"Russia is playing a global game, and the U.S. and Europe are so busy protecting their corners that they are leaving the goals wide open. Only with a global counter-strategy, including a model for a more inclusive international system, do the U.S. and Europe stand a chance of regaining control of the field." —Anne-Marie Slaughter & Heather Ashby on Project Syndicate ([link removed])

Anne-Marie Slaughter is a former director of policy planning in the U.S. State Department, the CEO of New America, and the professor emerita of politics and international affairs at Princeton University. Heather Ashby is a U.S. national security and foreign policy professional.

MORE: Biden warns of Russian efforts to interfere in 2022 election —Bloomberg ([link removed])


** Focus on foreign affairs
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in India today, on his first visit to the country as the nation's top diplomat. Speaking with civil society leaders ahead of meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Blinken pressed the government on Modi's questionable human rights record. "Both of our democracies are works in progress. Sometimes that process is painful. Sometimes it's ugly. But the strength of democracy is to embrace it," Blinken said. "At a time of rising global threats to democracy and international freedoms—we talk about a democratic recession—it's vital that we two world-leading democracies continue to stand together in support of these ideals." —Deutsche Welle ([link removed])
* — Also overseas is Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin. At the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore yesterday, he issued a warning to China, making clear that the U.S. will continue to help Taiwan and other allies in the Pacific defend themselves against aggression from Beijing. "We will not flinch when our interests are threatened, yet we do not seek confrontation," Austin said, seeking to balance a relationship with China as a peer competitor but also as a potential threat. —Defense One ([link removed])
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* — Another area where China may pose a threat is Afghanistan. Chinese officials hosted a friendly meeting this week with a visiting Taliban delegation, who China believes is "important to peace" in rebuilding Afghanistan as the U.S. pulls the last of its troops from the country. The visit is likely to further strengthen the Taliban on the international stage during a time when violence is increasing in Afghanistan. —Newsweek ([link removed])
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* — Similar to Afghanistan, the U.S. is ending its combat mission in Iraq. However, unlike Afghanistan, troops will remain in the country to continue training and advising local forces. "Our role in Iraq will be...to be available to continue to train, to assist, to help, and to deal with ISIS as it arises," President Biden said at the start of an Oval Office meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi on Monday. —Defense One ([link removed])

MORE: Iraq's non-withdrawal withdrawal deal with the U.S. is just what Afghanistan needs, argue former officials —Yahoo! News ([link removed])


** Kinzinger: The Jan 6 select committee must be nonpartisan
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"Without question, the work of this committee needs to be a nonpartisan effort. It cannot continue to be a partisan fight, where we're taking every opportunity to discredit each other for perceived political points or fundraising efforts. The childish mudslinging is not helpful and damages the already fragile integrity of our institutions. I urge all of my colleagues—as well as the American people—to unplug the rage machine and see this situation through clear eyes: America was attacked, and we deserve to know why and how it happened." —Adam Kinzinger in ([link removed]) The New York Times ([link removed])

Adam Kinzinger represents Illinois' 16th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

MORE: Protesters shut down Greene-Gaetz Jan. 6 event —The Hill ([link removed])

Trump operatives Amy Kremer, Caroline Wren, and Katrina Pierson, and family members Lara Trump and Donald Trump, Jr., need to be subpoenaed by the select committee to testify. They know who arranged and paid for all the violent extremists in attendance. They will have firsthand knowledge of when Donald Trump was informed of their presence on Jan. 6, and he knew—or should have known—that sending them to the Capitol was giving them his okay to violently stop the election certification. —Ken G., Colorado

So which is it, Republicans? The attempted insurrection on Jan. 6 was conducted by either a bunch of peaceful tourists, who were loving on the police, or a bunch of violent, crazed antifa and BLM folks. It either happened, was tragic, and was the fault of Speaker Pelosi, or it was just peaceful people protesting an election that was stolen from the stable genius. And those people were invited into the Capitol by the police as they all hugged and shook hands. Or was it an operation planned by the FBI, and the FBI was violent?

By the way, does anyone else find it odd that antifa and BLM folks would storm the Capitol to overturn an election, claiming it was stolen, when their supposedly chosen candidate won? Yeah, that's another GOP explanation of that day. But why let reality get in the way of crazy.

Consider the following example. Rep. Elise Stefanik said, "The American people deserve to know the truth. That Nancy Pelosi bears responsibility, as Speaker of the House, for the tragedy that occurred on Jan. 6." So on July 27, it is a "tragedy"? Not long ago, Sen. Ron Johnson claimed it was largely a "peaceful protest." Rep. Andrew Clyde stated that video of Jan. 6 was like a "normal tourist visit." Tragedy or tourist visit? Violent or peaceful? Take your pick, as the GOP will provide you ALL possible descriptions. Maybe they could make up their mind as to what it was on Jan. 6, but that assumes they have a mind. Yes, we can't fix stupid.

If it were not so serious a matter, and if both completely opposite views were not put out by Trump and his sycophants, it would be hilarious. Yes, the members of the insurrection party actually put out opposite views of Jan. 6 practically every day. Heck, they will even do so in the same speech or interview. Follow the bouncing ball of crazy as they cover all the bases. Just throw an explanation against the wall to see what sticks in the moment. And if it doesn't stick, just wait a moment, because they will change it. —Bill T., Arizona
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** The views expressed in "What's Your Take?" are submitted by readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff or the Stand Up Republic Foundation.
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