AP source: Biden, Manchin sharply divided over $2T Dem bill
WASHINGTON » President Joe Biden and Sen. Joe Manchin were said to be sharply divided Wednesday over Democrats’ huge social and environment bill, with the holdout senator pushing to erase the measure’s improved child tax credit, as leaders’ hopes of passing the legislation before Christmas appear to be fading away.
The rocky status of their talks, described by a person only on condition of anonymity, were among several indications that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer faces a struggle to even begin debate on the massive measure before the holiday. Schumer, D-N.Y., has set a goal for passage of the 10year, roughly $2 trillion measure by Christmas, in hopes of finally concluding his party’s eight months of infighting over the package.
Manchin told reporters that assertions he wants to strip the child tax credit provisions were “a lot of bad rumors,” adding that he’s “always been for child tax credits.” Asked if he backed one of the bill’s child tax credit improvements — monthly checks sent to millions of families — he said, “I’m not negotiating with any of you.”
In another factor complicating the bill’s immediate prospects, some Democrats wants Schumer to use December’s waning days to consider voting rights legislation, a primary party goal that Republicans have stymied.
Asked whether Congress should quickly consider the voting legislation and delay the $2 trillion bill to next year, Biden told reporters Wednesday, “If we can get a congressional voting rights done we should do it.” He added, “Nothing domestically is more important” than voting rights. Biden spoke as he toured tornado damage in Dawson Springs, Kentucky.
All of that produced a day of confusion in the Senate, where rank-and-file lawmakers and aides said they knew nothing about what legislation the chamber would tackle next, when and whether they would prevail.
Letting the social and environment legislation slip into next year, when congressional elections will be held, would be ominous for Democrats’ prospects for enacting the measure, which embodies many of Biden’s foremost domestic goals. The party will need support from all its members in the 50-50 Senate to overcome solid Republican opposition.
With Democrats having blown past previous self-imposed deadlines on the measure, another delay would fuel Republican accusations that they are incompetently running a government they control. Democrats are bracing for November elections when the GOP has a real chance of winning control of the House and Senate.