On Friday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to discuss the decision by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) to halt the passage of a slightly reduced version of President Biden’s massive social spending plan, which has been stalled for months amid record high inflation largely caused by government spending.
A reporter asked Jean-Pierre about the Build Back Better plan and “the White House’s reaction to Joe Manchin basically saying he’s not going to do anything on energy, climate.”
“As you’ve heard us say many times before, we’re just not going to negotiate in public as it comes to climate change and the president’s climate change plan and how he’s going to get there,” Jean-Pierre responded, without mentioning Manchin by name.
“The president has always been very clear that he’s going to use every tool in his toolbox, every authority that he has to make sure that we deal with the climate change – the climate crisis that we are currently in,” she added. “But as far as the negotiations, I’m just not going to say much more about that.”
That same day, Manchin said in a radio interview that he was only interested in passing a spending bill if it was focused on reducing drug prices instead of adding new environmental regulations and increasing taxes.
“I said, ‘Chuck, if you’re on a political deadline, and it has to be done in July, the one thing you know you can get done is basically do that bill,‘” Manchin said, referring to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). “‘Write a piece of legislation on reducing drug prices, letting Medicare negotiate.‘”
“And he says, ‘Are you telling me you won’t do the other right now?’” Manchin continued. “I said, ‘Chuck, it’s wrong. It’s not prudent to do the other right now.’”
The Biden administration’s push for additional government spending comes as inflation reached 9.1% in June, the highest rate since November 1981.
In response to the news, Manchin released a statement saying that the Biden administration has “ignored serious concerns” about inflation for “more than a year,” and that “we cannot add any more fuel to this inflation fire” through “unnecessary spending.”
“Today’s inflation data illustrates the pain families across the country are feeling as costs continue to rise at a historic rate. 9.1% is cause for serious concern,” Manchin said. “Items like chicken, eggs and lunchmeat have increased to new highs, while energy costs rose more than 40% in June with those that can least afford it suffering the most. It is past time we put our country first and end this inflation crisis.”
“For more than a year, leaders in Washington have ignored the serious concerns raised by myself and others about the rising cost of inflation,” Manchin added. “While Washington seems to now understand this reality, it is time for us to work together to get unnecessary spending under control, produce more energy at home and take more active and serious steps to address this record inflation that now poses a clear and present danger to our economy. No matter what spending aspirations some in Congress may have, it is clear to anyone who visits a grocery store or a gas station that we cannot add any more fuel to this inflation fire.”
