Key US Senator delivers blow to Biden’s social spending bill

The moderate Democrat's vote is crucial to getting the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill through the Senate, and Biden -- along with other senior Democrats -- has spent weeks trying to secure his support after it was green-lit by the House of Representatives in November."I've tried everything humanly possible, I can't get there... This is a no."Manchin considers the plan to be too expensive and argues it will further fuel inflation, which in November jumped 6.8 percent from the same period last year, its biggest gain since June 1982 as prices for gasoline, used cars, rent, food and other goods continued to climb, threatening the world's largest economy and Biden's public support.Among them, he underscored the possibility of increasing the national debt, saying that would hamper the United States' ability to face rising inflation, the resurgent Covid-19 pandemic and mounting tensions with rivals Russia and China.Biden has said his proposal would not increase the country's debt, with the White House statement saying the bill "is fully paid for, is the most fiscally responsible major bill that Congress has considered in years, and reduces the deficit in the long run."The bill aims to funnel funds toward lowering the cost of child care, prescription drugs and health care premiums, supporting the purchasing power of households and investing in the transition to clean energy. Republicans in the divided Senate solidly oppose the legislation -- though it has polled extremely well across America -- meaning passage depends on every Democrat in the chamber supporting it.  Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders took a hard line responding to Manchin's "no," saying Democrats would take the bill to a vote despite his intransigence. Biden on Thursday had admitted he probably wouldn't be able to push through the bill as quickly as he had hoped after tough talks with Manchin, dashing hopes of a definitive vote before the end of the year.The White House on Sunday said it would press Manchin to return to the table and "honor his prior commitments and be true to his word."bur-sw/bbk...

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December 19, 2021 at 11:49PM
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The moderate Democrat's vote is crucial to getting the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill through the Senate, and Biden -- along with other senior Democrats -- has spent weeks trying to secure his support after it was green-lit by the House of Representatives in November."I've tried everything humanly possible, I can't get there... This is a no."Manchin considers the plan to be too expensive and argues it will further fuel inflation, which in November jumped 6.8 percent from the same period last year, its biggest gain since June 1982 as prices for gasoline, used cars, rent, food and other goods continued to climb, threatening the world's largest economy and Biden's public support.Among them, he underscored the possibility of increasing the national debt, saying that would hamper the United States' ability to face rising inflation, the resurgent Covid-19 pandemic and mounting tensions with rivals Russia and China.Biden has said his proposal would not increase the country's debt, with the White House statement saying the bill "is fully paid for, is the most fiscally responsible major bill that Congress has considered in years, and reduces the deficit in the long run."The bill aims to funnel funds toward lowering the cost of child care, prescription drugs and health care premiums, supporting the purchasing power of households and investing in the transition to clean energy. Republicans in the divided Senate solidly oppose the legislation -- though it has polled extremely well across America -- meaning passage depends on every Democrat in the chamber supporting it.  Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders took a hard line responding to Manchin's "no," saying Democrats would take the bill to a vote despite his intransigence. Biden on Thursday had admitted he probably wouldn't be able to push through the bill as quickly as he had hoped after tough talks with Manchin, dashing hopes of a definitive vote before the end of the year.The White House on Sunday said it would press Manchin to return to the table and "honor his prior commitments and be true to his word."bur-sw/bbk...