Dems call on Trump to approve 'big and bold' infrastructure plan

Democratic congressional leaders sent President Trump a laundry list of demands for an infrastructure deal Monday ahead of a White House meeting, calling for a “big and bold” spending bill that prioritizes clean energy and climate change.

“America’s unmet infrastructure needs are massive, and a bipartisan infrastructure package must meet those needs with substantial, new and real revenue,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer wrote to the president. “We look forward to hearing your ideas on how to pay for this package to ensure that it is big and bold enough to meet our country’s needs.”

The president’s budget for fiscal 2020 calls for spending $200 billion on infrastructure, to leverage more private investment. Democrats reportedly want to spend as much as $2 trillion.

They said any package must include “clean energy and resiliency priorities,” and must address “resiliency and risk mitigation of our current infrastructure to deal with climate change.”

Democratic leaders are scheduled to meet with the president at the White House Tuesday on a possible infrastructure plan, which could be the most promising chance for a big partisan deal this year.