A new bipartisan infrastructure bill is getting a chance U.S Senate as 17 Republicans joined Senate Democrats in moving the bill forward. Missouri Senator Roy Blunt joined key conservatives in adjoining states, Chuck Grassley in Iowa and Mitch McConnell in Kentucky to get to 67 Senate votes.

The final agreement with the White House is a $1.2 trillion bill over eight years, with $550 billion in new spending.

The bill is far from a final vote and it doesn’t look like it will have the support from Missouri’s other Senator Josh Hawley.

Sen. Hawley spoke to Missourinet from Senate studios. Photo courtesy U.S. Senate.

“I’m not inclined to spend trillions of dollars in new federal money – trillions- on projects I think that are not related to infrastructure and I think will also send inflation skyrocketing even higher. The fact that Missouri families are having to pay more in gas, more for food, more to get their car repaired, I’m really worried about it,” Hawley told Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth Thursday.

Senators are working on the final text of the bill, but have agreed on a framework to include roads, bridges, public transit, drinking water, and broadband internet.

The Republicans who joined Democrats on the vote to move the bill forward are: Sens. Roy Blunt (Mo.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (La.), Susan Collins (Maine), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Mike Crapo (Idaho), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), John Hoeven (N.D.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rob Portman (Ohio), Jim Risch (Idaho), Mitt Romney (Utah), Thom Tillis (N.C.) Todd Young (Ind.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).