One of US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's first major tasks has been setting the parameters of an impeachment trial against former president Donald Trump, which is set to begin the week of February 8, 2021
One of US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's first major tasks has been setting the parameters of an impeachment trial against former president Donald Trump, which is set to begin the week of February 8, 2021 AFP / SAUL LOEB

President Biden’s goal of passing a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal is going to face its first big test as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer brings a procedural vote to the floor on Wednesday.

Republicans have been looking to delay the vote for some time.

“We’re just not ready,” said Sen Rob Portman, R-Ohio, in a CNBC interview. Portman added the bill is still being negotiated and it will not be ready by Schumer’s desired deadline.

“We’re going to vote no, we just want time to get it right,” he added.

According to Portman, Republicans will be able to support the bill if the vote were pushed to Monday. Republicans have been criticizing the bill saying it lacks a complete text, cost estimates, and how to pay for it.

Schumer has rejected Republicans' requests to delay the vote, saying that it "is the first step in the legislative process" and that the "vote is not a deadline to have every final detail worked out."

“We are now in the fourth week of negotiations since the bipartisan group of senators reached an agreement with the White House on an infrastructure framework, senators should feel comfortable moving forward today,” Schumer said.

With a deadlocked Senate, Schumer will need to garner at least 10 Republican votes in order to pass the bill. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah., is confident the bill will gain the 10 votes.

“There are a couple of areas that need to be worked on today and tomorrow, but I presume it’ll all be done by early next week, we’ll have another vote I hope next week, and we’ll be able to proceed with the bill. We have enough Republicans who are supportive of the bill,” Romney told reporters.

Some progressives are worried Republicans are purposefully trying to drag out a measure they ultimately won’t support.

“They have been killing time for months at this point, I believe where it is starting to get to a point where this bipartisan effort is seeming to serve less on investing in our infrastructure and serving more the end of just delaying action,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Schumer has also been attempting to pass a partisan $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill via reconciliation that features expanding Medicare to include dental, vision, and hearing, combating climate change, and addressing healthcare and childcare. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she will not allow either bill to come to a vote in the House unless both pass the Senate.