The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)

Biden promises to ‘get it done’ as talks drag on $3.5 trillion plan

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WASHINGTON — Making his case on Congress’ home ground, President Joe Biden pledged Friday at the Capitol to “get it done” as Democrats strained to rescue a scaled-back version of his $3.5 trillion government-overhaul plan and salvage a related public works bill after days of frantic negotiatio­ns resulted in no deal.

Biden huddled with House Democrats in a private meeting that was part instructio­nal, part morale booster for the tattered caucus of lawmakers, telling them he wanted both bills passed regardless of the time it takes. He discussed a compromise topline of $1.9 trillion to $2.3 trillion, according to a person in the room, granted anonymity to discuss the talks.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s six minutes, six days or six weeks — we’re going to get it done,” Biden said as he left the meeting at the Capitol.

Action has ground to a halt in Congress despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s insistence there would be a “vote today” on a $1 trillion infrastruc­ture bill that is popular but has become snared in the debate over Biden’s broader measure. Voting on Friday appeared increasing­ly unlikely, throwing the president’s big domestic agenda into doubt as negotiatio­ns dragged.

Holdout Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia had sunk hopes for a swift compromise, despite hours of shuttle diplomacy late Thursday with White House aides on Capitol Hill, when he refused to budge on his demands for a smaller overall package, around $1.5 trillion. That’s too meager for progressiv­e lawmakers who are refusing to vote on the public works measure without a commitment to Biden’s broader framework on the bigger bill.

Talks swirled over a compromise in the $2 trillion range. But with Manchin dug in, a quick deal seemed increasing­ly out of reach for the present. Still, Biden’s visit was welcomed by Democrats who have complained about not hearing enough from the president about a path forward.

“It’s his time to stand up,” said Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota.

The president and his party are facing a potentiall­y embarrassi­ng setback — and perhaps a politicall­y devastatin­g collapse of the whole enterprise — if they cannot resolve the standoff.

Biden’s bigger proposal is a years-in-the-making collection of Democratic priorities, a sweeping rewrite of tax and spending policies that would essentiall­y raise taxes on corporatio­ns and the wealthy and plow that money back into government health care, education and other programs, touching the lives of countless Americans.

Biden says the ultimate price tag is zero, because the tax revenue would cover the spending costs — higher rates on businesses earning more than $5 million a year, and individual­s earning more than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples.

“We understand that we’re going to have to get everybody on board in order to be able to close this deal,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the leader of the Congressio­nal Progressiv­e Caucus. “We’re waiting for that.”

Frustrated and with their trust frayed, centrist Democrats watched the promised vote slip on the first piece of Biden’s proposal, the slimmer $1 trillion public works bill, a roads-andbridges package, as progressiv­es flexed their leverage.

During a caucus meeting earlier Friday, Pelosi asked lawmakers to stand if they supported the infrastruc­ture package, and most did, according to those in the room. But Pelosi has few votes to spare and appeared inclined not to risk failure.

Instead, the House and Senate were poised to approve a 30-day extension of surface transporta­tion programs that are expiring with the fiscal yearend, halting furloughin­g of more than 3,500 federal transporta­tion workers. That also creates a new deadline to act on the stalled $1 trillion infrastruc­ture bill.

The White House and Democratic leaders are intently focused on Manchin and to some extent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, two centrist Democrats who helped steer the public works bill to Senate passage but have concerns that Biden’s overall bill is too big. The two senators have infuriated colleagues with their close-to-the vest negotiatio­ns that could tank Biden’s effort — and their own campaign promises.

“I’m willing to sit down and work on the $1.5,” Manchin told reporters Thursday, as protesters seeking a bigger package and Biden’s priorities chanted behind him outside the Capitol.

After hours of negotiatio­ns that stretched near midnight Thursday, Manchin said he could not yet compromise. “I don’t see a deal tonight. I really don’t,” Manchin told reporters as he left.

The political stakes could hardly be higher. Biden and his party are reaching for a giant legislativ­e accomplish­ment — promising to deliver vision, dental and hearing care for seniors, free kindergart­en for youngsters, strategies to tackle climate change and more — with a slim majority in Congress.

With Republican­s all opposed to the president’s big plan, deriding it as slide to socialist-style spending, Biden is reaching for a deal with members of his own party for a signature policy achievemen­t.

 ?? J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press ?? Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and President Joe Biden arrive to meet Friday with House Democrats to rescue his social and economic agenda that has been threatened by the progressiv­e wing of the party.
J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and President Joe Biden arrive to meet Friday with House Democrats to rescue his social and economic agenda that has been threatened by the progressiv­e wing of the party.

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