In meetings and discussions with progressive lawmakers, Mr. Klain has been blunt about the president’s belief that Democrats need to reach a framework agreement on broader social policy legislation before they can approve the infrastructure measure, according to three officials familiar with the discussions.
That appears to have emboldened progressives.
One person familiar with Mr. Klain’s calls said they left liberal lawmakers with the impression that the White House was encouraging them to “hold firm” against an infrastructure vote until a deal could be reached with two centrist Democratic senators, Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who have demanded changes to Mr. Biden’s $3.5 trillion plan.
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Mr. Klain retweeted a post on social media from Representative Jared Huffman, Democrat of California and a member of the Progressive Caucus, who said they were “setting the Biden agenda back on track” by delaying the vote on infrastructure.
