Centrist  Democrat
Senator Joe Manchin on Thursday urged the US Congress to take a pause in President
Joe Biden‘s plans for a sweeping $3.5 trillion effort to rebuild and reshape the US economy.

The opposition of the West Virginia Senator towards the plan
looked stronger than his past statements and taps into a grab-bag of arguments
over inflation, national security, and other concerns to deny Biden and his
party a crucial vote on the emerging package. His comments come as lawmakers
are labouring behind the scenes to draft the legislation ahead of this month’s
deadlines.

“Instead of rushing to spend trillions on new government
programs and additional stimulus funding, Congress should hit a strategic pause
on the budget-reconciliation legislation,” Manchin wrote in an op-ed for
the Wall Street Journal.

“I, for one, won’t support a $3.5 trillion bill, or
anywhere near that level of additional spending, without greater clarity about
why Congress chooses to ignore the serious effects inflation and debt have on
existing government programs,” Manchin added.

Democrats have no maneuvering space as far as votes for Biden’s
big “build back better” agenda is concerned. They have the majority in the 50-50
Senate because of the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Manchin has long been a holdout against the topline amount,
$3.5 trillion, even though he voted last month to approve a budget resolution
that set the figure. The package proposes billions for rebuilding domestic
infrastructure, tackling climate change, and expanding or introducing a range of
services, from free pre-kindergarten classes for children to dental, vision, and
hearing aid care for seniors. All of it would be paid for with taxes on
corporations and the wealthy.

Congress is away on recess, but Manchin’s remarks are sure
to be seen as an attempt at gaining leverage as lawmakers work privately to
draft the package. The House and Senate are negotiating the details ahead of
consideration and possible votes, expected when they return later this month.

Along with centrist Arizona  Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who has also expressed
opposition to a package of that size, the two are able to hold sway by
withholding their support.

But dropping the price tag will infuriate members of the
liberal flank in Congress who have pressed for an even more robust package and
have tired of catering to the centrists.

House centrists drew the ire of their colleagues last week
when they held up passage of a blueprint for the package as they pushed for
concessions.

(With AP inputs)