Manchin says Biden has not pressured him to support elections, spending bills
By Mychael Schnell - 06/09/21 01:17 PM EDT
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said President Biden has not pressured him to support the sweeping voting rights bill he publicly opposed earlier this week, or a Democrat-only spending bill, despite the Senate’s 50-50 split.
“The president respects the institution so much because he was here and knows it better than everyone else. He does not get involved,” Manchin told Politico in an interview on Tuesday.
“I already know where he is. I know the challenges he has, and I know basically the pressure he’s receiving all the time. We’re just trying to find a balance for it,” he added.
Manchin on Sunday announced that he will vote against a sweeping bill to overhaul elections, dubbed the For the People Act, putting the fate of the legislation in question.
He also signaled that he is firmly opposed to weakening or eliminating the filibuster, which a number of Democrats think would be necessary to pass some of Biden’s key legislative proposals, including election reform.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/557572-manchin-says-biden-has-not-pressured-him-to-support-voting-rights-spending