No Veto Threat on Infrastructure Deal, Biden Says 

WASHINGTON - Aiming to preserve a fragile bipartisan deal on infrastructure, President Joe Biden said Saturday that he didn't mean to suggest he would veto the bill unless Congress also passed a larger package to expand the social safety net.

Speaking Thursday when the deal was reached, Biden said the two packages needed to move in "tandem" and "if they don't come, I'm not signing. Real simple." Those comments sparked criticism from some Republican lawmakers who were party to the deal. Biden sought Saturday to clarify his position. "My comments also created the impression that I was issuing a veto threat on the very plan I had just agreed to, which was certainly not my intent,” he said.