On Tuesday, Senator Joe Manchin declared to the media
that President Joe Biden's build back better bill is dead.
The senator from West Virginia indicated that he was still open to negotiations,
but said he had not had any formal discussions with Senate Democrats.
But is the bill actually dead?
And if immigration reform is still a possibility,
will Senator Manchin ever get on board with it?
Stay tuned because we're going to find out.
And if this is your first time on my channel, be sure to subscribe
and turn on notifications for regular immigration news updates.
On Tuesday,
when asked about the build back better bill by reporters, Senator Manchin
responded by saying, "I don't know what you guys are talking about.
It is dead." When pressed further, the senator clarified, saying, "If
they're talking about the whole big package, that's gone."
And on the possibility of supporting a smaller package, he said,
"We'll see what people come up with.
I don't know." Manchin confirmed that there have been a lot
of conversations going on and that Senate Democrats have been reaching out to him,
but they haven't formally sat down and started negotiations.
He also raised concerns about inflation, the pandemic
and even the situation in Ukraine, saying, "My main concern is inflation,
the high cost to everyone in my state and around the country,
and also the geopolitical unrest we have in Ukraine.
That's going to be a big cost.
And on top of that COVID, we have to see which way COVID goes
and what effect it's going to have on our economy."
The senator also said that passing a government spending bill and the
Electoral Count Act would take priority in the immediate future.
The Biden administration and Senate Democrats are becoming
increasingly desperate to pass any part of the build back better bill.
Key party lawmakers have indicated they are willing to accept
whatever provisions Senator Manchin will support,
with some even going so far as to say "Manchin should have the pen."
At this point, Democrats see the $550 billion for reducing carbon
emissions as the core of the package, with drug prices,
health insurance and child care subsidies as their next largest priorities.
Given how desperate Democrats have become, it is not surprising
that immigration reform has gone unmentioned in the discussion around
build back better.
Manchin made it clear he would not overrule
the Senate parliamentarian in December of last year.
Members of Congress expect it to be weeks or possibly months
before a package can be agreed upon and in the meantime
are turning their focus to four other priorities,
including the funding plan for federal agencies, U.S.
technology and manufacturing competition with China, sanctions
against Russia and approving a Supreme Court justice.
Biden and Democrats continue to publicly insist
that they're still pushing for the build back better bill, but nobody
has provided a timeline or clarified what it will specifically include.
So what do you think?
Is Senator Manchin just stringing Democrats along,
or will he eventually approve some version of the bill?
If he does, what are the chances he will agree to immigration reform?
Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think!
And be sure to watch my previous update about immigration advocates joining forces
to call for the Senate parliamentarian to be disregarded.
I will include a link to that video here.
I will also continue bringing you additional immigration news
as it's available, so be sure to subscribe
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Click here to watch this video next, and I'll see you there.