President Joe Biden called on members of Congress July 15 to refocus their efforts to adopt a spending package that aims to lower Americans' healthcare costs, according to The Washington Post.
"Families all over the nation will sleep easier if Congress takes this action. The Senate should move forward, pass it before the August recess, and get it to my desk so I can sign it," President Biden said.
The public statement from the White House comes after months of failed negotiations between Democratic leaders and Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va. Fears about rising prices prompted the moderate West Virginian to scuttle Democrats’ roughly $2 trillion plan, known as the Build Back Better Act.
Privately, Manchin told Democratic leaders this week he could not support their latest push to spend money to combat climate change or raise taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations.
Manchin issued his party an ultimatum: Accept a smaller deal focused on healthcare costs, or wait until the economy improves to try again on a larger package. The senator delivered that message publicly Friday, stressing on a West Virginia radio show that "inflation is wreaking havoc on everybody’s life."