WASHINGTON, D.C. – DECEMBER 14: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is followed to his car by reporters after participating in a vote at the U.S. Capitol Building on December 14, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Talks on the Build Back Better bill between the White House and moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) appear to be making little progress.
According to reports on Wednesday, the Biden administration and Manchin are in disagreement over extending the child tax credit, which provides families with up to $300 per kid a month. The West Virginia senator is said to be reneging on a deal to include a one-year extension of the program and is instead pushing for a multi-year extension, which would increase the cost of the bill.
“Sen. Manchin is not telling President Biden what to include or not include. He has always been supportive of the child tax credit,” said one source. “He has also made it clear the cost should not be greater than $1.75 trillion.”
Talks between Manchin and Biden are NOT going well on Build Back Better, per source familiar with talks. A huge sticking point: the Child Tax Credit. Manchin wants it cut. Source says he wants to “zero it out.” They are “very far apart,” source says.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 15, 2021
Manchin is considered crucial to the legislation as Biden needs the votes of all 50 members of the Democrat Senate Caucus in order to pass it through reconciliation. Manchin has continuously voiced his concerns that Democrats are spending too much and too quickly, putting Americans’ taxpayer dollars at risk and increasing inflation.
In the meantime, Democrats hoped to pass the measure by Christmas, however it seems unlikely.
Source: One America News Network
