House readies key vote amid stalemate between Pelosi and moderate Democrats over infrastructure bill

Washington — As the House prepares to vote Monday to advance the bipartisan infrastructure bill and broader budget blueprint, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remains locked in a standoff with a group of moderate Democrats who are pushing for the chamber to swiftly take up the targeted infrastructure proposal.

The House is pausing its August recess to return to Washington for a procedural vote to move forward the infrastructure plan and budget resolution, passage of which will allow Congress to begin the process to take up a sweeping $3.5 trillion spending package through reconciliation. Both measures were approved by the Senate earlier this month. But the group of nine moderate Democrats has threatened to withhold support for the budget blueprint, which the House is expected to move to this week, unless Pelosi holds a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill first.