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Sen. Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) tells his colleagues that progressives must choose just one of President Biden’s three signing policies to help working families and reject the other two, people familiar with the matter told Axios .
Why is this important: By forcing progressives to choose between an expanded child tax credit, paid family medical leave or childcare subsidies, Manchin complicates any potential deal, but also signals his willingness to negotiate.
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He also aligns himself with centrist Democrats in the House, who want to reduce the number of programs in any final package but fund them longer.
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Progressives hope that they can keep all of their favorite programs in one final bill by funding many of them for shorter durations and thus lower the final bill price.
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Manchin’s office declined to comment on Axios.
The big picture: As President Biden reduced his revenue from $ 3.5 trillion to $ 2.2 trillion, Manchin pointed out on Wednesday that his price cap remained at $ 1.5 trillion, an aggravating position of Senator Bernie. Sanders (I-Vt.).
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Sanders, a leading progressive, separately told reporters that there are “48 senators supporting $ 3.5 trillion; we have two people who don’t, ”referring to Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona).
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“It’s wrong, it’s really not fair play,” Sanders said. “No two people have the right to sabotage what 48 want.”
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“It is high time that he told us with specificity – no generalities, we are beyond generalities – with specificity, what he wants and what he does not want, and to explain that to the inhabitants of West Virginia and America. ”Says Sanders.
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Manchin’s private demand for gradual prioritization follows his public concern that simply reducing the length of a program does not accurately capture its true overall cost.
In numbers : The president proposed extending for four years the expanded tax credit of $ 3,600 per child, which he funded for one year as part of the US bailout. It would cost some $ 450 billion.
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The costs of granting paid family medical leave vary widely. The White House offered $ 225 billion over 10 years in April, but the House Ways and Means Committee valued it last month at $ 500 billion.
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For Biden’s child and infant care proposals, which include grants for poor and middle-class families for child care and two years of universal preschool, the House wants to spend $ 450 billion.
Between the lines: Manchin is actually comfortable with federal funding for the universal preschool, which is already available in his home state, people familiar with the matter told Axios.
Go further: As concerns about inflation and Manchin’s fear of sowing a “rights society” pushes his opposition to spending more than $ 1.5 trillion, he is open to increased corporate and personal taxes. pay these expenses.
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On Wednesday, he reiterated his support for allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices directly with drug companies, which has long been a goal of progressives like Sanders.
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“It doesn’t make sense that we don’t go out to negotiate. The VA is doing a great job, ”Manchin told reporters.
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