West Virginia's Manchin, flexing political muscle, leaves U.S. Senate Democrats in state of shock
- Capitol Times
- Apr 8, 2021
- 1 min read
Democrats in Congress trying to push President Joe Biden's $ 2.3 trillion infrastructure plan questioned Thursday whether one of them, Senator Joe Manchin, might rebel if the party tried to operate without Republican approval.
The West Virginia senator, in a column published in The Washington Post, said lawmakers should be "alarmed" at the possibility that Democratic senators would use a maneuver called "reconciliation" to pass the package with Democratic votes only. As they did last month with the Democrats. $1.9 billion bills for COVID-19 relief.
Biden Democrats hold half of the 100 seats in the Senate, claiming a majority thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris' break-in vote. The defection of Machine or any other member could destroy the bill's chances in the weeks or months that Congress debates after it returns the following week after the spring recess.
CTM NEWS
8 April 2021
