Senator Kyrsten Sinema released a statement on Saturday blistering her fellow Democrats over the failure to vote on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, describing it as “inexcusable” and a denial of “good paying jobs, safer roads” and more.

The bill was held up by the so-called “progressive” wing of the party, in a tit-for-tat over Sinema and fellow moderate Sen. Joe Machin stating their opposition to a massive partisan bill.

“Arizonans, and all everyday Americans, expect their lawmakers to consider legislation on the merits — rather than obstruct new jobs and critical infrastructure investments for no substantive reason,” Sinema said in the statement, which she released via Twitter.

Canceling the U.S. House vote on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act denies Americans millions of new good-paying jobs and hurts everyday families.

Full statement pic.twitter.com/BM7hrUL3KK

— Kyrsten Sinema (@SenatorSinema) October 2, 2021

Directly addressing the transactional implication of the cancelled vote, Sinema said that her vote is not for sale. “My vote belongs to Arizona, and I do not trade my vote for political favors — I vote based only on what is best for my state and my country. I have never, and would never, agree to any bargain that would hold one piece of legislation hostage to another,” she wrote.

The increasing tension between the progressive wing and other parts of the party, most noticeably represented by the separate actions of Sinema and Manchin, does not seem to have an immediate resolution, which means no immediate resolution on the spending bills. That’s something President Joe Biden sort of addressed as he was rushing past reporters after meeting with the caucus on Friday.

“It doesn’t matter when. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in six minutes, six days, or six weeks. We’re going to get it done,” he said.

Meanwhile, progressives and moderates alike are taking shots at one another this weekend.

Below is Sen. Sinema’s full statement.

“The failure of the U.S. House to hold a vote on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is inexcusable, and deeply disappointing for communities across our country. Denying Americans millions of good-paying jobs, safer roads, cleaner water, more reliable electricity, and better broadband only hurts everyday families.

Arizonans, and all everyday Americans, expect their lawmakers to consider legislation on the merits — rather than obstruct new jobs and critical infrastructure investments for no substantive reason. What Americans have seen instead is an ineffective stunt to gain leverage over a separate proposal. My vote belongs to Arizona, and I do not trade my vote for political favors — I vote based only on what is best for my state and my country. I have never, and would never, agree to any bargain that would hold one piece of legislation hostage to another.

Congress was designed as a place where representatives of Americans with valid and diverse views find compromise and common ground. That is why, when President Biden asked me to continue bipartisan infrastructure negotiations, I agree and helped deliver the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — a historic, broadly popular plan that reflects a key priority of President Biden’s. My commitment to delivering lasting results is also why I have engaged for months in direct, good-faith negotiations over the separate budget reconciliation proposal.

Good-faith negotiations, however, require trust. Over the course of this year, Democratic leaders have made conflicting promises that could not all be kept — and have, at times, pretended that differences of opinion within our party did not exist, even when these disagreements repeatedly made clear directly and publicly. Canceling the infrastructure vote further erodes that trust. More importantly, it betrays the trust the American people have placed in their elected leaders and denies our country crucial investments to expand economic opportunities.

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The post Kyrsten Sinema Blasts Fellow Democrats Over Canceled Infrastructure Vote: ‘Inexcusable, and Deeply Disappointing’ first appeared on Mediaite.

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