Dems try to wrap Biden bill, despite widespread criticism over party's :signature" domestic priority
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Texas Insider Report) — “It's going to be a while,” Senator Joe Manchin told reporters at the Capitol Tuesday, increasing the already high tensions among Democrats who after months of negotiations have yet to seal a deal on President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion "signature" domestic policy proposal. Despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi's efforts to drive momentum on the effort, Manchin's steadfastness continues to interject fresh uncertainty this week as Democrat's more liberal and progressive and lawmakers fight over details of the sprawling 1,600-page bill.
After Biden unveiled a "framework" for the package last week, Democrats have been trying to resolve the long-problematic issues of drug prices for seniors, immigration law changes, and other final updates.
The conservative West Virginia Democrat continues to raise questions and concerns about the president's plans to expand health care, child care and other social services and tackle climate change – saying he sees no reason to pour more taxpayer dollars into government programs already teetering on financial insolvency.Some moderate House Democrats have said they want to see a final cost assessment from the Congressional Budget Office before taking the vote, which has yet to offer its non-partisan cost analysis of the effort's entire budgetary costs.
Rather than providing assurances to his progressive colleagues that he was on board, Manchin reiterated his long-running concerns. He then urged progressives to quit holding “hostage” a smaller $1 trillion public works bill they have withheld as leverage as negotiations continue on the broader package.
"Enough is enough," Manchin said at a hastily called news conference Monday at the Capitol, adding that he’s open to voting for a final bill reflecting Biden’s big package “that moves our country forward,” as well as being “equally open to voting against” the final product as he assesses the sweeping social services and climate change bill.
"Enough is enough," Manchin said at a hastily called news conference Monday at the Capitol, adding that he’s open to voting for a final bill reflecting Biden’s big package “that moves our country forward,” as well as being “equally open to voting against” the final product as he assesses the sweeping social services and climate change bill.
Democrat infighting, and blame pointing all around, have continued as negotiations over Biden's ambitious package has dragged on for months, with Democrat's publicly wavering again over whether or not the party's ambitious effort could mount the support necessary to pass the bill.
The stakes are significant, as Democrats warily watch governors' races in two states — Virginia & New Jersey — that are seen as bellwethers in the political mood of the electorate. Democrats are struggling to hold states that recently favored the party from Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer opened the Senate saying he was “very hopeful” an agreement on the drug-price provision would be reached as soon as Tuesday.
“For the first time, Medicare will be empowered to negotiate prescription drug prices in Part B and Part D,” Schumer said.
“There will be an annual cap on out of pocket costs, a new monthly cap on the price of insulin, and an ‘inflation’ rebate policy to protect consumers from egregious annual increases in prices.”
“There will be an annual cap on out of pocket costs, a new monthly cap on the price of insulin, and an ‘inflation’ rebate policy to protect consumers from egregious annual increases in prices.”
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR,) the chairman of the Finance Committee, who has been working to strike the pharmaceutical deal said earlier:“You put these things together and you’re moving towards a financial reality where a prescription is no longer a financial ball and chain for American families.”
With Republicans staunchly opposed and no votes to spare, Democrats have been trying to unite progressive and centrist lawmakers around Biden’s big vision.
Pelosi told Democrats at Tuesday's morning caucus meeting that “hopefully by midday" they will be able to “freeze” the design of the bill.
She said leaders are waiting for Manchin and Sinema to weigh in on final provisions over climate change and lowering prescription drug costs, and that immigration provisions remain in flux.
Pelosi said the next step is to bring the Biden package to the Rules Committee on Wednesday – which would pave the way for a vote on the bill as soon as Thursday, as well as a companion $1 trillion infrastructure package.
“I think we're going to pass both bills — hopeful this week if we get the differences that are still outstanding resolved,” Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD,) said at the Capitol.
It’s unclear whether Manchin’s resistance will deliver a debilitating blow to those efforts – or have the opposite effect of propelling Democrats to start taking votes on Biden’s proposal.
And progressive leaders, blamed for months for having stalled votes on the smaller bill, said it's time to vote on both.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (right, D-WA,) leader of the House "Progressive Caucus, said,
"I don’t know what Sen. Manchin is thinking, but we are going to pass both bills through the House and we are going to deliver transformative change to the people.”House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said privately at a closed-door Democrat Caucus meeting that she expects to wrap up a final draft of Biden's sweeping plan by midday in order to pave the way for voting as soon as Thursday, but no floor votes have been scheduled.
Much of the framework's costs would be covered with higher taxes on people earning over $10 million annually, and by large corporations – which would face a new 15% Minimum Tax that critics say amounts to a tax increase on all Americans, despite Biden's well-known pledge not to do so.
