McLean County Times

State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) used Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s visit to Washington, D.C., to witness the signing of the new bipartisan infrastructure plan to chastise the Biden White House’s “Build Back Better” plan.

Pritzker, a Democrat, was among the guests who gathered at the South Lawn of the White House to watch President Joe Biden sign the $1.2 trillion measure into law.

“[Chicago] Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker were among 200 guests invited to President Biden’s Monday White House large singing (sic) ceremony for the $1 trillion infrastructure bill (not to be confused with the ‘Build Back Better’ (BBB), an additional $1.75 trillion legislative proposal currently stalled in Congress.),” read a post that Halbrook shared on Facebook. “No Republicans will vote for the BBB measure because it contains major Biden agenda items – climate change, expansion of health care, child care, and immigration with provisions Republicans find objectionable. . . too expensive. There is also disagreement among moderate and progressive Democrats over the BBB legislation.”

One of Halbrook’s Republican colleagues in the Illinois General Assembly, state. Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris), attended the ceremony on Nov. 15, according to the Illinois Valley Times.

“Had the opportunity to represent @NCSLorg at the White House for the official signing of the federal infrastructure bill,” the senator tweeted, the publication reported. “Our state is expected to get at least $17 billion for projects.”

The bill, which includes $550 billion in new spending over the next half decade, intends to earmark federal funding for work to upgrade the nation’s roads, railways, bridges, and broadband internet.

Earlier this year, Halbrook took Pritzker to task for passing on an opportunity “to get the general assembly back to Springfield and enact meaningful reforms,” the Chambana Sun reported.