It's been a busy news day for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who on Wednesday cursed at HuffPost Politics reporter Arthur Delaney when asked about his stance on the child tax credit when it applies to President Joe Biden's reconciliation spending bill, also known as the Build Back Better Act.
Delaney had asked Manchin about his stance on the child tax credit with reports suggesting that Manchin wants it out of the bill.
I had asked if it was true he wanted CTC out of BBB.
— Arthur Delaney ???? (@ArthurDelaneyHP) December 15, 2021
“I've always been for child tax credits,” he said.
So I asked if he wants it to continue paying parents $300 a month, and he said he was not going to "negotiate" with me and that I'm bullshit
Meanwhile, the last advance child tax credit payment is going out this week https://t.co/WJRa8dkjdQ
— Arthur Delaney ???? (@ArthurDelaneyHP) December 15, 2021
"I've always been for child tax credits," Manchin responded, in addition to going on a rant full of curses. As Alexander Bolton for The Hill reported about the exchange:
“This is bullshit. You’re bullshit,” Manchin yelled at Arthur Delaney, a reporter for HuffPost Politics, who asked him to confirm the report that the child tax credit has become a major sticking point in talks with the White House.
“I’m done, I’m done,” Manchin fumed, his voice rising, after Delaney asked whether the senator could support continuing $300 monthly payments to families with young kids.
The testy exchange followed another contentious back-and-forth between Manchin and a group of reporters, including CNN’s Manu Raju.
Raju reported that talks between Manchin and Biden were not going well because Manchin want to cut the child tax credit out of the bill.
Manchin denied the report and said members of the media are hearing “a lot of bad rumors.”
“I’m not opposed to child tax credit, I’ve never been opposed to child tax credit,” he insisted.
Manchin also made clear that he’s getting sick and tired of being grilled about his position in the negotiations with Biden.
“Guys, I’m not negotiating with any of you all. You can ask all the questions you want. Guys, let me go. This is bullshit. You’re bullshit,” he told Delaney in the Capitol subway, grumbling “God almighty” as he walked away.
CNN's Manu Raju was also there for the exchange, and tweeted about the negotiations between Manchin and the White House, which are reportedly not going well.
This kills any virtually any hope of getting the bill done by Christmas as Schumer had hoped. Biden and Manchin not close to a deal
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 15, 2021
Manchin did not deny that he wants the child tax credit out of BBB. He told reporters that he’s “always” for the child tax credit. “I’m not opposed to the child tax credit.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 15, 2021
But he would not comment when asked if he wants it out of the BBB bill and for it to move separately
As Katie reported earlier on Wednesday, the bill may be in jeopardy of passing before Christmas, which is next week. Not only is Manchin still remaining a holdout, but the bill is not yet finished.
In a subsequent report for The Hill, Bolton warned that "Democratic talks with Manchin show signs of melting down." As Bolton wrote, citing a source, it's to do with the child tax credit:
“Manchin is trying to back out of a deal with the White House,” said one Democratic source familiar with the negotiations between Manchin and Biden. “Manchin earlier agreed to a one-year extension of the child tax credit. They shook on it.”
The source said Manchin’s attempt to revise what Biden’s senior advisers thought was an agreement about the child tax credit “is causing consternation at the White House.”
Raju also tweeted Manchin's reservations, which have to do with the price tag of the legislation. The child tax credit is the most expensive part of the spending bill.
- He isn't telling Biden to remove any specific policy, according to the source, but he has made clear that these expensive provisions are not going to fit to keep the bill at $1.75T
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 15, 2021
-- Biden's framework would extend CTC for ONE year.
- But Manchin has said that temporary programs do not reflect the true cost to taxpayers. And has repeatedly made clear that the cost of the bill should reflect how much the bill's programs cost over 10 years
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 15, 2021
Leah has been following Manchin's reaction to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score on the bill. Making such programs permanent would add $3.0 trillion to the debt over the next decade.
As Delaney mentioned in his coverage of his exchange with Manchin, the final child tax credit payments of the year before they're set to expire were sent out that same day.