Biden Pulls the Plug on Broader Spending Bill

With Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) killing — or at best delaying — climate provisions of a budget reconciliation bill, President Biden issued a statement saying he is moving on.

Said Biden: “If the Senate will not move to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen our domestic clean energy industry, I will take strong executive action to meet this moment.”

Instead, Biden said he wants the Senate to pass legislation to lower prescription drug prices and extend funding for the Affordable Care Act — even if it lacks climate provisions or tax increases — before the August recess.

Biden knows a reconciliation bill with a vote-a-rama will never pass after the August recess with elections coming up.