Biden meets with Manchin, Sinema to discuss reconciliation bill


President Biden met separately with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) on Tuesday, hoping to get their support for a sweeping bill focusing on health care, education, and climate change.
The price tag for the bill may reach $3.5 trillion, and with no Republicans backing it and the Senate evenly split at 50-50, the measure would have to be passed through reconciliation. Manchin and Sinema, both moderates, have said they think the bill is too big, and to get their support, it has to be cut back. Biden was set to travel to Chicago on Wednesday to discuss COVID-19 vaccines, but canceled his trip so he can stay in Washington and help with negotiations.
Sinema, who has not publicly shared exactly what she wants trimmed from the reconciliation bill, did not answer questions from reporters after her meeting with Biden. Manchin has said his problems with the bill involve the expansion of Medicare and a program that would pay utility companies to source their energy from renewables. His meeting with Biden lasted around an hour, he told reporters, adding, "We're still dealing in good faith."
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.
This all comes as Congress faces two critical deadlines. Government funding runs out midnight on Thursday, and if a bill isn't passed there could be a partial shutdown on Friday. Additionally, if the debt ceiling is not raised by mid-October, the Treasury won't be able to pay all of its bills, which could trigger a financial catastrophe.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Savages: a tragi-comedy set in a 'quirky handcrafted world'
The Week Recommends This new animated film by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Claude Barras is undeniably political, but it has a hopeful message
-
Why 'faceless bots' are interviewing job hunters
In The Spotlight Artificial intelligence is taking over a crucial part of recruitment
-
Who will win the battle for the soul of the Green Party?
An ideological divide is taking root among the environmentalists
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring push
Speed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additions
Speed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein files
Speed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs report
Speed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks