McConnell ups pressure on Manchin, Sinema: They could sink spending plan
By Jordain Carney - 11/10/21 01:00 PM EST
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) is upping pressure on Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) to scuttle President Biden's social and climate spending bill.
McConnell, during an interview with Kentucky radio station WKYX, argued that Democrats should have "dropped the whole thing," referencing the bill, after last week's elections in Virginia and New Jersey.
"If the Democrats in the Senate, all 50 of them, fall in line, they can pass it. If any one of them isn't there in a 50-50 Senate, it will be defeated," McConnell said.
"The two Senate Democrats who are resisting—Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona—we'll see how strong they are. They could kill the whole thing, either one of them," McConnell added.
Because Democrats are trying to pass the spending bill using budget rules that let them bypass a GOP filibuster, they need total unity from their Senate caucus to pass the legislation.
Manchin and Sinema have raised concerns for months over aspects of the bill, including a $3.5 trillion top line figure that Democrats greenlighted earlier this year.
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/580960-mcconnell-ups-pressure-on-manchin-sinema-they-could-kill-biden-spending-plan
