Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) had made absolutely clear that he did not approve of the bipartisan infrastructure bill (BIF) when it passed the House in early November, no sir!
Shortly after the chamber passed BIF on Nov. 5, Palmer took to Twitter to complain about “Democrats’ recklessly expensive infrastructure bill” (Democrats had worked with GOP lawmakers on the legislation).
The Republican went on to claim in a fuller statement that both BIF and the Democrats’ $1.75 trillion reconciliation bill containing Biden’s Build Back Better plan were “a Green New Deal wish list” that would increase the debt, which “already presents a serious national security threat,” according to Palmer.
Then, just hours after President Joe Biden signed BIF into law on Monday, Palmer gave himself a gold star for the legislation he painted as a socialist wrecking ball to the U.S. economy.
The GOP lawmaker bragged in an official statement that the package included his proposed legislation that will “provide critical funding” for completing the Birmingham Northern Beltline, a six-lane bypass route around Birmingham, Alabama.
Palmer said the road project was one of his “top priorities.”
“Completing the Northern Beltline will benefit the entire region and enhance economic development and employment opportunities,” he said.
Palmer isn’t the first Republican to take credit for Democrat-led legislation he or she had tried to shoot down: Last spring saw a parade of GOP lawmakers touting the new funding for their local communities provided by Biden’s sweeping COVID-19 relief package–the funding they had flatly voted against.
