The Chamber’s chief policy officer, Neil Bradley, announced the policy shift in a letter to its Board of Directors on Monday. The pretense for his decision: President Biden formally linking the “hard” infrastructure bill with the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package during a meeting with House Democrats on Friday.

Between the lines: The two bills, which are seen as the top priorities in fulfilling Biden’s agenda, have long been linked. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has described them as “companion bills.”

This is the prime reason House Republican leaders have been whipping against the bipartisan bill, despite multiple GOP senators having voted for it in the Senate — including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The Punchbowl News story about the decision to cut the Chamber from its strategy calls was largely seen as a formal rejection of the pro-business organization after months of fraying relations.