U.S. Senate leader opposes infrastructure spending in next coronavirus relief bill: Axios

By Reuters Staff

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks to reporters after it was announced U.S. congressional leaders and the White House agreed on nearly $500 billion more in coronavirus relief for the U.S. economy, bringing to nearly $3 trillion the amount allocated to deal with the crisis, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 21, 2020. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called on his Republican colleagues on Tuesday to oppose an effort by the White House to insert infrastructure spending measures in an expected fourth coronavirus relief bill, Axios reported.

“We need to keep the White House in the box,” he told senators, Axios said, citing two sources familiar with the call. “The Democrats and the White House both need to get the message,” the sources quoted McConnell as saying.

President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican, has called for $2 trillion in infrastructure spending.

Reporting by Tim Ahmann

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