- Title: Biden agenda at risk as Democrats squabble ahead of shutdown deadline
- Date: 29th September 2021
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 29, 2021) (REUTERS) DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JOE MANCHIN TALKING TO REPORTERS AS HE WALKS INTO BUILDING WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 29, 2021) (REUTERS) REPORTERS FOLLOWING DEMOCRATIC SENATOR KYRSTEN SINEMA BEFORE SHE GETS INTO ELEVATOR SINEMA WAVING / ELEVATOR DOOR CLOSING
- Embargoed: 13th October 2021 22:22
- Keywords: Democrats President Joe Biden Senator Joe Manchin Senator Kyrsten Sinema infrastructure bill shutdown deadline
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Budget/Taxation/Revenue,Government/Politics,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA002EWRXS93
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:President Joe Biden's agenda was at risk of being derailed by divisions among his own Democrats, as moderates voiced anger on Wednesday (September 29) at the idea of delaying a $1 trillion infrastructure bill ahead of a critical vote to avert a government shutdown.
The White House said talks over twin bills that would revitalize the nation's roads and airports and fund social programs and climate change measures, were at a "precarious" point as moderates and progressives disagreed over the scope of some $4 trillion in spending.
Congress, which Democrats control by a razor-thin margin, is due to vote on a bipartisan resolution to fund federal operations through early December before funding expires at midnight on Thursday (September 30).
The House of Representatives is currently expected to vote Thursday on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill already passed by the Senate, a vote that has been delayed once.
Representative Stephanie Murphy, a moderate Democrat who backs the infrastructure bill, warned against defeat or delay of the legislation.
But with House progressives warning they will vote against the bill until a deal is reached on a separate sweeping, multitrillion-dollar plan to boost social spending and address climate change, the vote was not guaranteed.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer were at the White House on Wednesday afternoon after Biden, a former senator himself, canceled a trip to Chicago to lead negotiations with Congress.
A White House staffer met at the Capitol with moderate Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who has expressed deep concern over the size of Biden's plans and has the power to block them due to the Democrats' narrow control of the Senate.
If the resolution to fund the government passes the Senate, the House could vote quickly to send the measure to Biden to sign into law, averting a partial government shutdown in the midst of a national health crisis.
Biden's Democrats campaigned on a platform of responsible government after Republican Donald Trump's turbulent four years in office.
Biden also must negotiate a $3.5 trillion bill that aims to expand social programs and address climate change. Several senior Democrats have said that the "reconciliation" bill - so called because it is being drawn up under a budgetary procedure to avoid Senate rules requiring 60 votes out of 100 members for passage - will need to be scaled back to pass.
Moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin said he believed it would take weeks to reach agreement.
(Production: Julio-Cesar Chavez, Vanessa Johnston) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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