Biden met moderate U.S. Senate Democrats to discuss $3.5 trln spending bill
President Joe Biden was meeting separately with moderate Democratic U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema on Wednesday to discuss Democratic-backed domestic spending legislation, the White House said.
Democrats hold a slim majority in the Senate, making Manchin and Sinema critical to the $3.5 trillion bill's prospects.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the purpose of the meetings was to discuss a "path forward" on Biden's proposed legislation.
Sinema spokesman John LaBombard said, "Today's meeting was productive, and Kyrsten is continuing to work in good faith with her colleagues and President Biden as this legislation develops."
Explainer-Main battles ahead for U.S. Democrats' $3.5 trillion social spending bill
Democrats are crafting a massive spending package as big as $3.5 trillion that would transform the U.S. economy by investing in free community college, childcare and green energy, funded by tax hikes on the wealthy and larger companies.
The bill’s authors must balance the Biden White House’s campaign pledges and the party’s progressives and moderates, all while catering to lawmakers empowered by Democrats’ razor-thin majorities in Congress to demand pet concessions.
Facing unified Republican opposition, Democrats will need to pass the bill on strict party lines using a legislative tool called budget reconciliation. They cannot afford to lose even one vote in the Senate and more than three votes in the House of Representatives.
Reference: Reuters
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