Senators seal $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal ahead of vote

They’ve got a deal.

After weeks of haggling, moderate senators from both parties Wednesday announced they’ve reached an agreement on a bipartisan infrastructure deal worth more than $1.2 trillion.

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced a deal was struck ahead of a planned procedural vote later in the day.

“We’re prepared to move forward,” Portman said.

Asked if his understanding was that a deal is done, a jubilant Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) said: “It sure is.”

The measure will need at least 10 GOP votes to overcome a filibuster threat if all 50 Democrats support it.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters he will seek a vote to open debate on the bill as early as the end of the day.

A similar vote went down in flames last week and talks had stalled in recent days.

But negotiators Wednesday inked a deal on the sprawling plan to rebuild crumbling roads, bridges, railroads and airports. Democrats are hoping to ink a deal with Republicans.

The GOP lawmakers say 11 or 12 of their colleagues will vote for the measure.

Democrats would then push to finalize an even bigger $3.5 trillion package including funding for families’ education and health care costs, a Medicare expansion and efforts to curb climate change. That bill would be passed with Democratic votes only.

The high-stakes partisan dance comes as Democrats seek to show progress on Biden’s top priority.

Republicans want to show voters that they too are anxious to fix America’s crumbling infrastructure. But they are wary of handing Democrats a big victory that could help them in the midterm elections.

More progressive Democrats warn that Republicans may be stalling the bipartisan talks as part of a plan to eventually pull the plug on them altogether.

Details about the giant spending plan were trickling out Wednesday. The bill was said to include $110 billion for roads and $65 billion for broadband deployment.