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Senator Joe Manchin: Criticism of the left wing of the party
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MICHAEL REYNOLDS / EPA
US President Joe Biden has suffered another setback in the month-long dispute over two investment packages he initiated in Congress. Democratic Senator Joe Manchin said in Washington that he could not approve the legislative package with investments of $ 1.75 trillion in social and climate protection. "I will not support a bill of this magnitude without knowing exactly what impact it will have on our national debt, our economy, and most importantly, the American people."
Because the Democrats only have one more seat in the Senate than the Republicans, they have no majority without Manchin.
For Biden, this results in another problem: In the House of Representatives, left-wing democrats make their approval for an infrastructure package that has already been passed by the Senate dependent on a Senate majority for the social and climate package.
Manchin accused the left wing of the House of Representatives of holding the infrastructure package as a "hostage".
Manchin said that one could not force his approval of the other package.
The Senator urged his party colleagues in the House of Representatives to adopt the infrastructure package independently of the second package.
White House remains optimistic
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki denied Manchin's concerns about the social and climate package.
The draft for the legislative package, which has already been drastically reduced by Biden, is "fiscally responsible".
The concept was "fully financed", it would "reduce the deficit and lower the costs of health care, child care, care for the elderly and housing," it said in the communication.
They are confident that they will still get Manchin's support.
Left Democratic Congressman Pramila Jayapal told CNN that Biden's promise that the package would get the necessary votes in the Senate was trusted.
hba / dpa / AP