President Joe Biden will meet with Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-AZ) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on Wednesday, two senators who oppose his proposed $3.5 trillion entitlement spending bill.
The president continues promoting the massive spending bill, which most Democrats want to pass with a partisan majority in the Senate using a budget reconciliation bill. The bill would dramatically raise taxes to help pay for the additional spending for free college, free pre-kindergarten, and subsides for childcare and eldercare.
Sinema was spotted by reporters entering the White House on Wednesday morning. The Arizona senator has reportedly been building spreadsheets to make her case for a lower price tag, after signaling the $3.5 trillion bill was too expensive for her.
Manchin signaled his opposition to the bill in the beginning of September, calling for a “strategic pause” in spending, warning of growing inflation.
He later signaled his support for a smaller $1-$1.5 trillion spending package.
But Biden indicated that he could count on Manchin to support his agenda.
“Joe, at the end, has always been there. He’s always been with me,” Biden said last week. “I think we can work something out and I look forward to speaking with him.”