Sen. Joe Manchin gave Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer a top-line number of $1.5 trillion for Democrats’ massive spending bill this summer with conditions for his vote.
“Senator Manchin does not guarantee that he will vote for the final reconciliation legislation if it exceeds the conditions outlined in this agreement,” reads the agreement given to Schumer dated July 28, 2021, which was obtained by Politico.
But that top-line figure did not sit well with progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders who believe it’s unreasonable.
"Uhh, for one year?" Ocasio-Cortez wisecracked, laughing when asked about Manchin's topline number. The New York Democrat argued that there were "a lot of games being played with this number" and stressed that over 10 years, $3.5 trillion is $350 billion per year.
"You know, most of the senators that just a few weeks ago authorized a seven hundred and thirty odd billion defense budget authorization for one year," Ocasio-Cortez added. "So why is something half that size needed to be chopped down another half? So if this is really the deficit, then maybe we go after our defense spending and find our savings there instead of going after people's child care." (Fox News)
“Mr. Manchin has his view on the subject, I have another view: Which is that $3.5 trillion is actually a conservative number given the crisis that we face on climate,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders. “I hope very much that the day will come sooner than later where we will pass both the bipartisan infrastructure bill which is very, very, important. And pass a strong reconciliation bill.”
Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono, meanwhile, said she could go lower but is unsure how much of Biden's agenda Manchin’s top-line number will be able to accomplish. “He’s confirmed that’s as far as he’ll go, which is pretty sad if you ask me,” she said.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema released a statement after Manchin’s memo made the rounds saying she, too, gave numbers and conditions to Democratic leaders this summer, noting that $3.5 trillion was also too high for her.
Statement on Budget Reconciliation Negotiations pic.twitter.com/QZpaMXxm7q
— Kyrsten Sinema (@SenatorSinema) September 30, 2021
Democrats cannot afford to lose a single vote when passing legislation through budget reconciliation.
In a press conference on Thursday, Manchin insisted he’s “never been a liberal in any way, shape, or form” and suggested it was a big deal to even get him to agree to $1.5 trillion.
“For them to get theirs elect more liberals. I’m not asking them to change. I’m willing to come from zero to $1.5 [trillion].”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV): "I've never been a liberal in any way, shape, or form," so if progressives want a bigger reconciliation bill, "elect more liberals." pic.twitter.com/Xkf7NLRMtp
— The Recount (@therecount) September 30, 2021