Concerns over the $3.5 trillion budget proposal have transcended across the political aisle. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) are raising issue with the price, as Reagan has highlighted about the two moderates in recent months. Yet, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the Senate Budget Committee Chairman, is not caving.
According to Jordain Carney of The Hill, Sanders told reporters on a conference call "that $3.5 trillion is already the result of a major, major compromise, and at the very least this bill should contain $3.5 trillion."
The hefty price tag is still trillions more than what Sen. Manchin would be willing to spend. Hans Nichols of Axios reported on Tuesday that he is willing to support, at most, a budget of $1.5 trillion.
Nichols wrote:
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) has privately warned the White House and congressional leaders that he has specific policy concerns with President Biden's $3.5 trillion social spending dream — and he'll support as little as $1 trillion of it.
- At most, he's open to supporting $1.5 trillion, sources familiar with the discussions say.
Manchin also called for "a strategic pause" in that WSJ op-ed:
Instead of rushing to spend trillions on new government programs and additional stimulus funding, Congress should hit a strategic pause on the budget-reconciliation legislation. A pause is warranted because it will provide more clarity on the trajectory of the pandemic, and it will allow us to determine whether inflation is transitory or not. While some have suggested this reconciliation legislation must be passed now, I believe that making budgetary decisions under artificial political deadlines never leads to good policy or sound decisions. I have always said if I can’t explain it, I can’t vote for it, and I can’t explain why my Democratic colleagues are rushing to spend $3.5 trillion.
With this perhaps being the most commonsense reason of all:
Another reason to pause: We must allow for a complete reporting and analysis of the implications a multitrillion-dollar bill will have for this generation and the next. Such a strategic pause will allow every member of Congress to use the transparent committee process to debate: What should we fund, and what can we simply not afford?
As Carney also reported, Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) has rejected such a pause. "We're moving full-speed ahead. ... We want to keep going forward. We think getting this done is so important," Schumer said during a conference call.
Schumer also danced around the issue of the price tag, Carney said about the call. "We're going to all come together to get something big done, and second it's our intention to have every part of the Biden plan in a big and robust way," Schumer said.
Nichols' reporting for Axios also touched upon any compromise Democrats hope to reach with Manchin:
What we're hearing: The White House still appears optimistic that a deal can be reached.
- Manchin was careful in his WSJ piece not to close the door to future negotiations.
- "Sanders wanted a large number and Manchin wants a smaller number and we’re going to work this process to try to reach common ground," said one source familiar with the White House's thinking. "There is a wide spectrum of opinions in the Democratic caucuses, and plenty of negotiation will take place. But we will continue to get this done, finding common ground."
It's worth emphasizing that this sense of division comes solely from the Democratic Party. The current $3.5 trillion budget purposefully leaves out the Hyde Amendment. Without Hyde, Americans will be forced to fund elective abortions with their tax dollars.
All Republican members of Congress are in favor of keeping the Hyde Amendment and made such assurances during a press conference in July.
Sen. Manchin has also been vocal about his commitment to protect Hyde.