https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/16/democrats-agenda-social-spending-bill-525103
Senate Democrats ended a frustrating day in a frustrating week with President Joe Biden acknowledging that his sweeping social spending bill will wait until next year — a setback that comes as the party also spins its wheels on election reform.
Biden released a statement on Thursday night vowing to work with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to put his $1.7 trillion social safety net and climate plan “on the floor as early as possible” while alluding to unfinished work ahead, both in negotiations with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and clearing procedural obstacles. One of those obstacles came roaring back into view Thursday night as the upper chamber’s rules referee struck Democrats’ latest attempt at immigration reform from their party-line bill.
Before Biden’s statement, Senate Democrats met for one of their last party meetings of the year, which became an “intense” discussion, in the words of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Schumer did not pull the plug for the year then on either elections and voting legislation or the spending bill, according to attendees at the lunch.
Instead, Democrats braced for Biden to acknowledge the political realities that the party is not yet close to a deal with Manchin on the social spending bill.
Biden’s “perspective and voice is absolutely critical,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).
“A two-week cooling off would not be the worst thing,” said one Democratic senator on condition of anonymity.