Madison Reporter

President Joe Biden's signature economic plan is stalling after facing opposition from both Republicans and Democrats, amidst concerns that the plan is too costly. 

Biden’s nearly $2 trillion Build Back Better program has halted after failing to find enough support in the U.S. Senate. Some frustrated representatives are blaming a lack of bipartisanship.

“A very important point here," Rep. Lisa Subeck said. "Any one Republican willing to make this a bipartisan effort to invest in our communities and our families could pass the Build Back Better Act. But not a single Republican in the Senate will put people ahead of politics to do the right thing.”

Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-AZ) has also criticized the legislation and there are rumors from insiders that other Democrats do as well and are unwilling to say so publicly.

“Privately Sen. Sinema has been telling people it’s not just her and Manchin who are opposed to #BuildBackBetter – many of their Democrat colleagues are opposed as well, but afraid to speak up. She tells them they’re ‘hiding behind her skirt,’” President of the New Tolerance initiative Gregory Angelo tweeted. 

The Senate is split equally between Democrats and Republicans, meaning Democrats need to have the votes of every Democratic Senator in order to pass the plan. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has been criticized by members of his own party for helping to block the legislation. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Manchin breached “his commitments” to Biden and the rest of the party, and asserted that the Build Back Better plan is an “inflation-fighting package.”

Manchin's efforts have already reduced the price tag of the bill, but he is still concerned about overspending and inflation. One of his concerns is that the cost of Build Back Better will be spread out over the next decade, but many of the programs the bill will fund won’t last that long.  

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wants to hold another vote on the bill in early 2022. Democrats very much want to pass the legislation before the 2022 midterm elections as Biden’s approval rating is experiencing a steady decline.