GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito Defends Biden's Efforts at Bipartisanship: 'We Can Work Together'

Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a West Virginia Republican, defended President Joe Biden's efforts to pass a large bipartisan infrastructure bill, arguing that he continues to negotiate with GOP lawmakers in good faith.

Republican leaders and many lawmakers have repeatedly attacked Biden for leading in a partisan manner after campaigning as a moderate who would seek out bipartisan solutions. GOP lawmakers point to the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which Biden and the Democrats pushed through with no Republican votes. Biden has taken a different approach with his proposed American Jobs Plan—focused on infrastructure—as he and White House officials continue to meet with Republican negotiators.

During an interview with Fox News Sunday, anchor Shannon Bream noted that Democrats have threatened to pass the infrastructure bill through the budget reconciliation process, which would not require any GOP senators to vote in favor of the measure. Bream asked if Capito believed there would be a "cut off" in negotiations when Democrats simply moved forward without Republican backing.

"You know, the Democrats and the president can go that route right now and there's a reason that they aren't," Capito responded. "I think it's because they're seeing that through our committee work ... that we're working this through the system." The GOP senator listed several pieces of legislation that are currently proceeding or have already passed in a bipartisan way.

"I think there is a hunger for bipartisanship. The president stood on the Capitol steps and said he's the president of everybody—represents Republicans and Democrats," Capito pointed out. "He has expressed to me and our group numerous times his desire to work with us, to negotiate a package. And I think that's what you see in the facts, that we're inching towards one another."

Capito said she understands that there will eventually be a "deadline" for the negotiators to hammer out a deal. The senator said that if a bipartisan deal fails, "it won't be because we didn't try."

"And it's worth it. It's worth it to show this country we can work together. We can reach compromise for the good of everybody," the GOP lawmaker said.

Earlier in the interview, Capito pushed back against criticisms from some lawmakers that Biden isn't calling the shots. The GOP senator asserted that Biden is making decisions and leading the negotiations. "His heart is in this," she said.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment but didn't immediately receive a response.

The Biden administration first released a proposed $2.3 trillion infrastructure package earlier this spring, but later put forward a relatively smaller $1.7 trillion proposal as the president discussed and negotiated with Republicans. On Thursday, GOP lawmakers came back with a $928 billion package, suggesting that the two sides are slowly drawing toward a potential compromise.

But Democratic leaders in Congress have maintained that they are prepared to move forward with or without Republicans.

"As the President continues to discuss infrastructure legislation with Senate Republicans, the committees will hold hearings and continue their work on the Build Back Better agenda—with or without the support of Republican Senators," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, wrote in a letter to his colleagues on Friday. "We must pass comprehensive jobs and infrastructure legislation this summer."