President Joe Biden has confirmed that Senate Democrats are unlikely to vote on his $1.7 trillion social spending package before Christmas.
After meeting with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., Biden made a productive call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. earlier in the day.
It takes time to finalize these agreements, prepare the legislative changes, and complete all the parliamentary and procedural steps needed to allow a Senate vote. Biden said that they will work together over the days and weeks ahead, and Leader Schumer and I are determined to see the bill on the floor as early as possible.
Senate Democrats were hoping to hold a vote on the House-passed Build Back Better bill before Christmas, but negotiations have dragged on for weeks with Manchin, who has raised numerous concerns about the legislation.
My team and I are having ongoing discussions with Senator Manchin, and that work will continue next week, Biden said.
Manchin lashed out at reporters this week when he was pressed on his concerns with the legislation, such as the inclusion of child tax credit payments, which are due to expire at the end of the year.
Biden's statement on Thursday drew a strong response from progressive lawmakers who pushed for a swift passage of the bill after they supported a bipartisan infrastructure package earlier this year.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said in a statement Thursday night that the passage of Build Back Better until 2022 would have immediate and devastating consequences.
Progressives worked hard with the White House and Senate over the past year to set up for this moment. The version of Build Back Better that was passed out of the House was agreed to by nearly every Senator caucusing with the Democrats and we sent it to the upper chamber based on the President's promise that he could deliver the 50 Senators needed to make it law, Jayapal said.
Many Senate Democrats have pushed for passing voting rights legislation, despite the stalled Build Back Better bill. The legislation would require the support of at least 10 Republican senators unless Democrats change the Senate rules and allow it to pass with a simple majority.
Biden pushed for the passage of both bills in his Thursday statement.
We must get Build Back Better passed, even in the face of Republican opposition. We need to make progress on voting rights legislation at the same time.