Pelosi confident $1 trillion U.S. infrastructure bill will pass this week

By Humeyra Pamuk 

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed confidence on Sunday that the $1 trillion infrastructure bill will pass this week but said she may not bring it to the floor on Monday as she previously pledged. 

  In an interview with This Week's George Stephanopoulos on ABC, Pelosi also said that the final value of President Joe Biden's larger $3.5 billion reconciliation bill involving social spending might end up being smaller. 

  "Let me just say that we're going to pass the bill this week," Pelosi said, referring to the smaller of the two measures that would help fund road, bridge, airport, school and other construction projects. The Senate passed that bill with bipartisan support on Aug. 10. 

  But she indicated the bill may not be brought to the floor on Monday, which was the timeline she told reporters on Friday. "I'm never bringing a bill to the floor that doesn't have the votes," she said, but then added that it may still be on Monday. 

  Democrats have so far failed reach a consensus on the timing of the bills, which are key to the success of Biden's economic agenda. Moderate Democrats are at odds with more progressive members of their caucus of the price tag of the bigger bill. 

  A large group of progressive lawmakers insist that the $1 trillion infrastructure bill be held back until the $3.5 trillion bill is ready. Moderates want the $1 trillion bill enacted no matter the progress on the larger measure. 

  The larger bill includes provisions for expanding healthcare for children and the elderly and for investing in steps to drastically reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions blamed for climate change. 

  Asked if the final number on that package might be smaller, Pelosi said: "That seems self-evident." 

  (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; editing by Grant McCool and Ross Colvin) 

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