House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has run into a big problem trying to pass President Joe Biden’s massive new $3.5 trillion spending bill — and experts say she could continue making a panicked retreat.
Sen. Joe Manchin said on Thursday that Congress should take a “strategic pause” on more spending, warning that he does not support Biden’s plans for a sweeping $3.5 trillion effort to completely reshape the American economy.
The West Virginia Democrat’s pointed opposition was stronger than his past statements and taps into a grab-bag of arguments over inflation, national security, and other concerns to deny Biden and his party a crucial vote on the massive package. The timing of his comments comes as lawmakers are laboring behind the scenes to draft the legislation ahead of this month’s deadlines.
“Instead of rushing to spend trillions on new government programs and additional stimulus funding, Congress should hit a strategic pause on the budget-reconciliation legislation,” Manchin wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
“I, for one, won’t support a $3.5 trillion bill, or anywhere near that level of additional spending, without greater clarity about why Congress chooses to ignore the serious effects inflation and debt have on existing government programs.”
In public, Pelosi put on a strong face. “Obviously, I don’t agree,” she told CNN about Manchin’s op-ed.
“Well you have to go talk to the Senate about that, but we’re going to pay for as much of it as possible,” when pressed about Manchin’s growing resistance.
“What does it take?” Pelos later said when asked growing resistance. “Where would you cut? Child care? Family medical leave paid for? Universal pre-K? Home health care, so important?”
Sen. Kristen Sinema, D-A.Z., has also said she would not support a massive $3.5 trillion spending increase.
Democrats have no votes to spare as they labor to helm Biden’s big “build back better” agenda to passage in the narrowly divided Congress, where they have the majority in the 50-50 Senate because of the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Manchin has long been a holdout against the topline amount, $3.5 trillion, even though he voted last month to approve a budget resolution that set the figure.
Congress is away on recess, but Manchin’s remarks are sure to be seen as an attempt at gaining leverage as lawmakers work privately to draft the package. The House and Senate are negotiating the details ahead of consideration and possible votes, expected when they return later this month.
Sinema and Manchin are able to hold sway over Pelosi by withholding their support.
Dropping the price tag will infuriate members of the liberal flank in Congress who have pressed for an even more robust package and have tired of catering to the centrists.
House centrists drew the ire of their colleagues last week when they held up passage of a blueprint for the package as they pushed for concessions.
Manchin, though, has almost relished the attention he commands. “While some have suggested this reconciliation legislation must be passed now, I believe that making budgetary decisions under artificial political deadlines never leads to good policy or sound decisions,” he wrote.
With a late September deadline looming, that must have Pelosi and her pals panicked.
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The Associated Press contributed to this article