Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) met Monday with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) while moderate and progressive Democrats continue to fight over infrastructure.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) set a deadline of October 31 to pass the so-called bipartisan infrastructure bill, otherwise known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Sanders, the Senate Budget chairman, has sparred with Senate moderates such as Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) over the scope and strategy behind passing President Joe Biden’s two-pronged infrastructure strategy. Biden’s legislative agenda hangs on passing the so-called bipartisan bill and the $3.1 trillion reconciliation bill, or the Build Back Better Act.
Since Senate Democrats only have a one-member majority, either Manchin or Sinema could tank the Build Back Better Act by withdrawing their support.
Manchin will not move forward on the Build Back Better Act until they can scale down the mammoth bill from its $3.1 trillion price tag. Sanders wants the bill even larger to pass more social and climate change programs.
Manchin and Sanders met Monday evening to attempt to overcome the impasse between the two leaders.
“We talked and we plan to continue to talk,” Sanders told reporters Monday evening.
Breitbart News reported Monday that House Republicans continue to oppose the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
A House Republican leadership aide told Breitbart News that the Republican support for the bill continues to shrink as it becomes increasingly obvious that the bill is tied to the $3.1 trillion Build Back Better Act.
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.