Congress is returning for crunch week, and Democrats have a centrists problem


The House and Senate return to session this week, and Democrats have a long checklist of things to do and little or no room for error. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) listed the big priorities Sunday: "Keep the government open. Don't default on the debt. Make sure the president gets a win on the infrastructure bill ... and, obviously the mother of all legislation, the reconciliation package." And, he added, "failure is not an option."
Democratic leaders are expected to unveil a short-term spending bill that would also suspend the debt ceiling, Politico reports, and Republicans have threatened to block it. The House is supposed to vote on the Senate-approved bipartisan infrastructure bill by Sept. 27, though House progressive leaders have threatened to vote it down unless moderate Democrats first back the reconciliation package, a sweeping bill worth up to $3.5 trillion over 10 years. And the centrist Democrats are already poking holes in the multi-trillion-dollar package.
First. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) told President Biden last week that she won't support a key proposal to lower Medicare drug prices, Politico reports. Sinema — who "ranks as one of Congress' leading recipients of pharmaceutical industry donations, according to an analysis by Kaiser Health News" — also currently opposes a pared-back alternative from House centrists. A spokesman said "Kyrsten is working directly in good faith with her colleagues and President Biden on the proposed budget reconciliation package."
Subscribe to 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.
Then there's Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, who will take lead on writing — and scaling back — the climate part of the package, The New York Times reports. "His beloved West Virginia is second in coal and seventh in natural gas production," and "Manchin has received more campaign donations from the oil, coal, and gas industries than any other senator" in the current election cycle. Manchin also made nearly $500,000 last year from a coal brokerage firm he founded. Many progressive Democrats are already irritated at Manchin for insisting they shrink the bill and push back its passage — and also worried he'll sink the entire package.
"Senior Democrats acknowledge the weeks ahead are lined with landmines," Politico reports, but "they argue that members across the party will pull together in the end and not squander a once-in-a-decade chance to enact social reforms such as universal child care, paid family leave, and expanded health care programs."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
May 24 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons feature Medicare and Medicaid cuts, James Comey's social media post, and Trump's big beautiful bill.
-
5 cartoons about the Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Cartoons Artists take on a stand-in for Vladimir Putin and phone calls with Donald Trump.
-
Donald Trump's foreign policy flip in the Middle East
Talking Point Surprise lifting of sanctions on Syria shows Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are now effectively 'dictating US foreign policy'
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'
-
Democrats grapple with Biden cover-up fallout ahead of 2028
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Even before his cancer diagnosis, Dems have been grappling with whether the White House's alleged effort to hide Biden's failing health is worth relitigating
-
Trump DOJ said to pay $5M to family of Jan. 6 rioter
speed read The US will pay a hefty sum to the family of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot on January 6
-
Trump DOJ charging House Democrat in ICE fracas
speed read Rep. LaMonica McIver is being charged with assault over a clash outside an immigration detention facility in Newark