During his speech Monday just before he signed a mammoth, bipartisan infrastructure package into law, President Joe Biden acknowledged that the massive achievement could actually be a vulnerability for the dozens of Republicans who supported it.
He called out Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), a driving force behind the bill in the Senate, thanking him for his help and calling him a “helluva good guy.”
“I’m not hurting you Rob,” Biden said. “Because I know you’re not running again, that’s the only reason I say it.”
Portman, it’s true, is retiring at the end of his current term. But other Republicans weren’t as willing to take credit for the massive congressional achievement, perhaps because Donald Trump has lashed out at them. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), for example, was one of the 19 Republicans in that chamber to support the infrastructure spending. He said in a radio interview wouldn’t be attending Monday’s bill signing: “I’ve got other things I’ve got to do other than going to a signing ceremony.”
As reports come in from the event on the South Lawn of the White House, we’re making a list of the Republicans who did attend, starting with Portman, the only Republican to actually deliver remarks at the signing event.
Here’s who else was there, with links to sourcing.
Out of 19 Senate Republicans who voted for the infrastructure package, the following attended the signing ceremony:
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT)
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
Out of 13 House Republicans who voted for the infrastructure package, the following attended the signing ceremony:
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY)
This post may be updated based on attendance reports.
