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Sen. Joe Manchin III (DW.Va.) told Democratic leaders on Thursday that he would not support an economic package that would contain new spending on climate change or include new tax increases aimed at Americans or wealthy corporations. which is a massive setback for party lawmakers who were hoping to advance a central element of their agenda ahead of this fall’s midterm elections.
The major change in negotiations, confirmed by two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the talks, threatens to turn around the delicate process of adopting the party’s signing legislation seven months after Manchin collapsed. original construction, about $ 2 trillion. Back Better Act, which President Biden had passed.
But Manchin told Democratic leaders he was open to changing federal laws that could reduce the costs of prescription drugs for seniors, the two said. And the West Virginia moderate expressed support for Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (DN.Y.), the party’s chief negotiator, for extended grants that will help reduce labor costs. medical insurance for millions of Americans over the next two years, one source said.
A spokesman for Schumer declined to comment. A Manchin spokeswoman said nothing had been agreed at any point in the discussions, but declined to discuss the details of the talks.
The impressive setback on Thursday afternoon came despite weeks of seemingly promising negotiations between Schumer and Manchin in search of a broader agreement that would fulfill the same promises that Democrats secured in both Congress and the House of Representatives. White House in 2020.
As for the climate, Democrats had once hoped to radically transform the country, reduce pollution, encourage cleaner, greener energy, and put more electric vehicles on the roads. Manchin, who represents West Virginia, a large amount of coal, often opposed his bolder plans, but until Thursday he seemed open to some limited changes to combat global warming.
Meanwhile, in terms of taxes, Manchin just a few days ago had signed one of many plans backed by Democrats to raise more revenue from wealthier taxpayers, including a policy that would have helped widen Medicare solvency by closing a gap that allowed big income housing income, said one of the people knowledgeable about the matter. But in the end, the senator seemed to change course and recently expressed his resistance to some of the other party plans aimed at wealthy people and corporations, the source added.
The situation leaves Democrats in a difficult political bond: they let themselves decide between pressuring Manchin after Thursday’s reversal or accepting what would still be significant changes to the law that would reduce health care costs for millions of people. Manchin has long expressed concern that his party’s proposals could raise the deficit and worsen inflation, a position he reiterated Wednesday after new data claimed prices were rising at the fastest pace in four decades.
This is a story in development and will be updated.