Manchin says $1.5 trillion is his limit on Biden economic agenda price tag
Manchin told reporters on Capitol Hill said he informed President Joe Biden that was his number, and Biden said he needed more than that.
“I’ve never been a liberal in any way, shape or form,” Manchin said. “I’m willing to come from zero to 1.5 [trillion].”
Progressives have said they needed an agreement on a $3.5 trillion economic agenda bill, known as the Build Back Better Act, in order for them to vote Thursday on a separate roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wanted to hold a vote on the bipartisan plan by Thursday, after originally promising to hold a vote Monday as part of a deal she made with moderates in her party. Pelosi has said she would not hold a vote on the infrastructure bill if she doesn’t have enough support to pass it, and progressive Democrats have vowed to block it without an agreement on the economic agenda bill.
The topline figure is consistent with a document from this summer obtained by Politico that shows more detail about what Manchin may want from a social safety net bill. A Senate Democratic aide confirms to CNN the authenticity of the document Thursday.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
