Manchin signals he'll be team player on spending deal
By Alexander Bolton - 07/16/21 06:00 AM EDT
Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), a crucial centrist vote in the Democratic caucus, is signaling to colleagues that he won’t derail a $3.5 trillion budget resolution that contains many of President Biden’s legislative priorities.
Senate Democrats say Manchin has indicated he will not stand in the way of the measure moving forward and will be generally supportive as long as he’s kept in the loop on his top concerns: how to pay for the bill and a clean energy provision.
Manchin told colleagues Wednesday where he stood at a caucus luncheon attended by Biden, where Democrats discussed their plans for passing two major infrastructure bills. The West Virginia senator said he waited until Biden left the room to explain his position to fellow Democrats.
“I did not speak while Joe Biden was there out of respect. He did a great job and everything,” he said, explaining that after Biden left he wanted colleagues to have a clear understanding of his own views.
“Afterward I wanted to make sure they knew where I was coming from. I’m concerned about inflation, I’m concerned about a competitive tax code, I’m concerned about environmental standards that basically leave people behind in all these things,” Manchin told The Hill.
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/563323-manchin-signals-hell-be-team-player-on-spending-deal
