Democrats give Manchin earful on lack of progress on spending bill
| Democratic senators vented their displeasure at a lunch meeting Tuesday with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and with the lack of progress on the $1.75 trillion climate and social spending plan that remains in limbo because of Manchin’s objections to a variety of issues.
Democratic lawmakers said they gave Manchin an earful after he accused his colleagues Monday of using “shell games and budget gimmicks” to mask the true cost of the legislation and then rubbed salt on the wound by declaring Tuesday he was in no rush to get a deal. Senators didn’t address Manchin’s defiant press conference directly, but they let him know that the dragging nature of the talks, in which he is a key player, is a big problem. “There’s enormous frustration with the slow pace. We’ve got to get this resolved and done,” said one Democratic senator who summarized the meeting. |
