Infrastructure bill will add $256 billion to deficit, government analysts say

The bipartisan infrastructure legislation poised for a vote in the Senate this week would add $256 billion to the deficit over the next decade, congressional budget analysts announced Thursday, dashing hopes that provisions in the bill would fully pay for it.

The news will not come as a surprise to lawmakers skeptical of offsets included in the $1.2 trillion measure, but it immediately reinforced opposition from Republicans who opposed much of the spending and policy riders in the bill.

Sen. Steve Daines, a Montana Republican, cited the debt projection by the Congressional Budget Office Thursday in his opposition to the measure.

“This is absolutely unacceptable, especially at a time when Montana families are already dealing with soaring inflation and skyrocketing prices on everything from gas to groceries,” Daines said.