Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) want debate on the $3.5 trillion trojan horse “infrastructure” package to determine if they will support the plan after President Joe Biden’s visit of persuasion to Senate this week.
“I’m concerned about inflation, I’m concerned about a competitive tax code, I’m concerned about environmental standards that basically leave people behind in all these things,” Manchin told the Hill.
“I want it to proceed,” Manchin continued. “I want to sit down and be part of that, sure. And figure if we run into a roadblock, we’ll run into one later. But you don’t start out that way.”
Tester also wants the package to proceed so the measures may be debated.
“My thinking is we need to address some very important issues in this country and I think there’s a real possibility that that $3.5 trillion can address some of those issues,” Tester said. “I want to have a debate on it. I want to have the opportunity to discuss it, see what’s in it before I say ‘no’ or ‘yes.’”
The White House admitted Wednesday that Senate Democrats lack the votes to pass the measure, which includes expanding medicare, global warming initiatives, and suburb displacement with low-income housing, subsidized housing, subsidized child care, and subsidized racial equity and environmental justice.
“If there were enough votes for each of these priorities there would be a vote and it would have happened,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated about the two track infrastructure proposals the Democrats are attempting to pass, one via filibuster-immune reconciliation and the other bipartisan infrastructure bill by traditional vote.
Meanwhile, in the House, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said Thursday she will “tank the bipartisan infrastructure bill” unless the reconciliation package is passed full of radical provisions.
“House progressives are standing up,” she said. “We will tank the bipartisan infrastructure bill unless we will also pass the reconciliation bill,” Bloomberg reported.