Democrat Senator Throws Another Wrench Into Biden’s Agenda. Biden Is Not Pleased.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced opposition to key elements of a Democratic economic package — prompting an aggressive Friday statement from President Joe Biden.

Two sources told CNN that Manchin — even after months of negotiations with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — will “unequivocally” refuse to support Democratic legislation related to climate change and tax increases in an economic package. Biden responded by vowing to take action of his own.

“Let me be clear: 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,” Biden declared in a statement. “My actions will create jobs, improve our energy security, bolster domestic manufacturing and supply chains, protect us from oil and gas price hikes in the future, and address climate change. I will not back down: the opportunity to create jobs and build a clean energy future is too important to relent.”

Manchin, a moderate Democrat who is currently a swing vote in the evenly divided Senate, has stalled other elements of the Biden administration’s agenda — including the omnibus Build Back Better plan, efforts to federalize abortion law, and the removal of immigration restrictions. – READ MORE