Here is what they are planning.
After Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) abruptly withdrew his support for the Build Back Better Act toward the end of December, Democrats are starting the year hopeful they can salvage the bill.
Manchin appeared on Fox News Sunday on December 19th, to reveal he was withdrawing his support for President Joe Biden’s economic and climate bill, dashing Democrats’ hopes of passing the bill through reconciliation.
Now, it seems Manchin may be open to negotiating the bill after sources familiar with the matter revealed he spoke to the President and has telegraphed changes to the bill that –– although would limit the bill –– would make him more likely to support the BBB Act.
Previously Manchin mentioned his principal grievances with the bill include the one-year expanded child tax credit payment and provisions designed to combat climate change. Additionally, Manchin has said that the measure should go through the committee process to investigate the economic impact of the bill in addition to curtailing the 2017 Trump tax cuts –– which Senator Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) opposes.
Speaking to West Virginia MetroNews’ “Talkline,” following his appearance on Fox News Sunday, Manchin –– who had supported skipping the Senate process on the America Rescue Act –– revealed the only reason he voted in favor of reconciliation was to “fix the taxes so that everybody paid their fair share.”
However, Democrats are eager to get Manchin’s support for a reconciliation of the Build Back Better Act as the 2022 midterms approach. It has even hinted that Democrats would divide the legislation into smaller packages that would presumably be easier to pass.
Discussing the potential of this strategy on “Fox News Sunday,” Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) revealed it was being negotiated as the Democrats were “open to a way to reach the finish line.”
The strategy, however, may not be feasible, as senate rules restrict the frequency of bills being passed through reconciliation –– the strategy Democrats are using to avoid a Republican filibuster.
Cardin continued by saying that the caucus was in agreement to deliver a bill to President Biden before adding that the President was directly involved with negotiations.
