Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) said she does not support the $3.5 trillion price tag of Democrats' sweeping reconciliation bill, a new hang up sure to anger lower-chamber lawmakers who won't pass the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure framework without their accompanying budget package, The Arizona Republic and The Daily Beast report. In fact, one notable caucus member — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) — has already come out swinging.
Sinema said that while she supports beginning the reconciliation process, she does not "support a bill that costs $3.5 trillion," per The Arizona Republic. Her reservations combined with those of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) bode poorly for the package as it stands, considering all 50 Democratic senators must be on board to move it forward. The package is expected to invest in climate initiatives, child care, heath care, and education, per CNBC.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As NBC News' Benjy Sarlin notes, however, Sinema's opposition may help her "shore up" some upper chamber Republican support ahead of Wednesday's infrastructure test vote. And that said, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) mused today that he was "very pleased" with the development.
It remains to be seen how this will affect negotiations overall, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has previously emphasized "she will not take up either measure until the Senate passes both of them," per CNBC.
-
Eel-egal trade: the world’s most lucrative wildlife crime?Under the Radar Trafficking of juvenile ‘glass’ eels from Europe to Asia generates up to €3bn a year but the species is on the brink of extinction
-
Political cartoons for November 2Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include the 22nd amendment, homeless camps, and more
-
The dazzling coral gardens of Raja AmpatThe Week Recommends Region of Indonesia is home to perhaps the planet’s most photogenic archipelago.
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
