Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on Monday refused to sign off on a $1.75 trillion social spending and climate measure at the heart of President Biden’s economic agenda, throwing a wrench into plans for a swift House vote this week.
Manchin accused the Democratic authors of the ambitious framework of using “shell games and budget gimmicks” to mask “the real cost” of the legislation, which he said could wind up being “twice as high” as advertised if its programs are extended.
He called media reports asserting that he privately supports the White House framework as “mischaracterizations” and warned that he would not sign off until he fully understands how the complex legislation will impact an economy already flush with trillions of dollars of federal stimulus.
He declared he wouldn’t vote for any bill without “thoroughly understanding the impact it will have on our national debt” and warned of the risk of “hurting American families suffering from historic inflation.”
Manchin also called out House progressives who are holding up the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that he helped negotiate in the upper chamber. He insisted that holding the bill hostage wouldn’t make him any more likely to agree to a bigger reconciliation bill.
His words had a deflating effect on Democratic colleagues who had hoped Manchin would be more of a team player.