Despite Senator Joe Manchin's public rejection of the plan, U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, a leading liberal House Democrat, has asked President Joe Biden to keep focusing on his social spending legislation and urged him to use executive jobs action.
Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), wrote in an opinion piece published in the Washington Post on Sunday that the CPC will soon release a plan for some actions such as cost reduction, family health protection, and climate action. "The Progressive Caucus will continue to work toward legislation for Build Back Better, focused on keeping it as close to the agreed-upon framework as possible", she wrote in the newspaper.
Manchin, a conservative Democratic senator, rejected the president's "Build Back Better" plan last Sunday, putting the legislation in jeopardy.
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Manchin's action prompted Goldman Sachs (GS.N) to lower its forecast for US economic growth. Manchin's rejection of the bill threatened to jeopardize hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for climate-change mitigation jobs and measures and to meet the Biden administration's climate goals. "Taking executive action will also make clear to those who hinder Build Back Better that the White House and Democrats will deliver for Americans", Jayapal wrote.
Manchin has expressed reservations about a number of proposals in Biden's signature domestic policy bill, including multiple climate proposals and an extension of the monthly child tax credit payments. "I think the stakes are too high for this to be, in any way, about any specific individual", Vice President Kamala Harris said in a CBS News interview aired on Sunday, when asked about Manchin. Harris said the White House was not giving up on the legislation.
Manchin's support is crucial in the Senate jobs and chamber where the Democrats have the slimmest margin of control and Republicans are united in their opposition to the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said the chamber would vote on a package in early 2022.
On Wednesday, the White House stated that discussions with Manchin's office would continue. On Tuesday, Biden stated that he and Manchin were "going to get something done" on the legislation.
