Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) is pressing President Joe Biden not to stray too far from the original $3.5 trillion price tag for the sweeping reconciliation bill containing his top policies on social benefits.
During an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, Jayapal said that she had told Biden his newly proposed range of $1.9 trillion to $2.3 trillion amid negotiations with moderate Democrats was “too low.”
“And I said that I would really like to be closer to three,” Jayapal told the AP.
However, the Democrat said she wasn’t “drawing any red lines” in their discussions.
“We’re going to continue to figure out where we can go,” she said.
Biden floated the trimmed-down price tag after moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), a major roadblock to passing the reconciliation bill, declared last week that his top line was $1.5 trillion. However, Manchin indicated on Tuesday that he was open to increasing the price tag to the range of $1.9 trillion to $2.2 trillion.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has also said that the reconciliation package would be cut down, telling rank-and-file Democrats in a “Dear Colleague” letter on Thursday that the legislation will be “smaller” but “still transformative.”
Sorry Jayapal, this isn’t Deal or No Deal and your caucus isn’t holding a briefcase with a piece of paper that has 3 trillion written on it.
All you’re doing is adding more drama to situation that already has enough drama.
Added:
It’s what’s in the briefcase that Manchin is holding that counts.
So Jayapal should roll over for Joe Manchin who can’t or won’t articulate why fellow Americans don’t deserve help, a boost, or some compassion. He could start with defining what “entitlement” means to him.
He hasn’t negotiated he has demanded with a style known as “Because I’m your father, and I don’t have to explain anything”.
Your politics is far to dysfunctional. It’s time for a revolution.
You first……
The range provided by Biden to Congress was between 1.9 to 2.2 trillion.
He’s been talking with both Manchin and Sinema numerous times over the past few months. I suspect that is the range he realizes is doable.
That range is better than the 1.5 trillion that Manchin first staked out.
This Jayapal lady is growing on me.