Politics: Ernst, Hinson say hope of compromise remains in infrastructure talks

During separate tours of Dubuque and Jackson counties this past week, Republicans U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson said they saw some glimmers of bipartisan hope from Democratic majorities in D.C. concerning infrastructure proposals.

That is not to say that they admitted to moving much on their shared opposition to Democratic President Joe Biden’s $2.2 trillion American Jobs Plan — a massive investment into broadly defined infrastructure needs, from bridges to broadband to building renovations, as well as a promotion of union jobs and greener technologies.

Both Ernst and Hinson said they still want a bill that sticks to traditional infrastructure, except where broadband expansion is concerned. Both said they would broaden the definition there because they believe that is needed.

While in their districts, each said Republicans might have found Democrats in their respective chambers who might be drifting to that narrower definition.

“That’s where I think you’ll find Republicans are willing to work with Democrats and move forward,” Hinson said Thursday after a tour in Dubuque. “I think there’s an appetite for that. We’ve seen that tide shift a little bit over the past couple of weeks. I think people are willing to come to the table. I certainly am.”

Ernst also told a crowd at Jackson Manufacturing in Maquoketa that some Senate Democrats have been more open to starting with a $586 billion infrastructure bundle passed by the Senate in 2020.

“We have several Democrats that have shown support of our plan versus the president’s plan,” she said. “We have a little bit of wiggle room. Perhaps we can give a little bit more in certain areas, whatever that is. But it’s a great starting point.”

For his part, Biden still is traveling the country to promote his infrastructure plan. But he announced that he would call leaders of both parties and both chambers to the White House this week to begin negotiations.

“I’m ready to compromise,” he said at a speech in Louisiana. “I’m not ready to do nothing. I’m not ready to have another period where America has another ‘infrastructure month’ that doesn’t change a damn thing.”

Ernst pointed at the huge investment in electrical vehicles as something she would need out of a bill to support it.

“There is more in the proposal for electric vehicles than for your county roads and bridges,” she claimed. “Whoo! You need charging stations, don’t you? Electric vehicles are great. If that’s your consumer choice, great. But we need roads for those EVs to drive on.”

Hinson said she would want that investment out as well but that does not necessarily mean it would die.

“I’m not opposed to infrastructure for electric vehicles,” she said. “I just think it’s a separate conversation and takes away the resources for a state like Iowa, where we need a lot of infrastructure investment in our bridges, for example.”