let's make a deal
Biden tells Democrats he thinks deal could be reached on package of up to $1.9 trillion
During a private meeting on Tuesday, President Biden told several progressive House Democrats that he believes a deal can be reached on a social safety net bill if the package is between $1.75 and $1.9 trillion, four people with knowledge of the matter told The Washington Post.
The liberal and moderate members of the party have yet to agree on a package, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and others advocating for a $3.5 trillion plan, which centrists like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) say is too expensive and big in scope. The White House has calculated that a $1.9 trillion package could still cover major priorities like expanding Medicare, establishing universal pre-K, and fighting climate change, the Post reports.
While the exact details are still being worked out, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters after the meeting that "all our priorities are there in some way, shape, or form." Jayapal also praised Biden for how he is working to craft a package that has wins for everyone, saying, "The president is the inspirer, he is the closer, he is the convincer, he is the mediator-in-chief. He really is doing a phenomenal job."