U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday he plans to force a vote on voting rights, a sweeping social policy bill and changes to Senate rules early next year — even though members of his caucus have made clear in recent days that Democrats lack the support to pass these proposals.
In a Monday letter to fellow Democrats, Schumer, D-N.Y., said the Senate will vote in early January on a novel version of President Joe Biden’s $1.85 trillion social spending and climate bill, as well as on voting rights legislation that many Democrats consider necessary before the mid-term elections.
Schumer said that if Republicans utilize procedural tools to block consideration of voting rights by filibuster, the Senate would then consider changes to its rules to prohibit such tactics.
The letter came less than 24 hours after Sen. Joe Manchin III, a West Virginian considered the chamber’s most conservative Democrat, said on Fox News that he would not support Biden-backed spending measures, dealing an unexpected blow to the White House. and Schumer’s club.
In an evenly divided Senate, Manchin’s failure to vote would mean condemnation of the bill known as Build Back Better, which Democrats The house has just passed before Thanksgiving after months of negotiations between moderates and progressives.
Schumer’s letter seemed to refer to Manchin’s surprise appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”
“Senators should be aware that the Senate will actually consider the Build Back Better Act at the beginning of the new year, so that each member of this body will have the opportunity to present their position on the Senate floor, and not just on television,” Schumer wrote.
“We will vote on an amended version of the House-passed Build Back Better Act, and we will continue to vote on it until we do something.”
Progressives in Congress wanted to hold a vote on the measure, which includes popular proposals to extend the expanded child tax credit, create a universal child tax credit, provide hundreds of billions in pristine energy tax credits and more. Manchin opposed funding for the child tax credit and the costs of the legislation, among other things.
“I hope that as soon as possible we will bring a strong bill to the Senate and allow Mr. Manchin to explain to the people of West Virginia why he does not have the courage to stand up to powerful special interests.” Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who votes with Democrats and a leading progressive senator from Vermont, said on CNN.
“If he doesn’t have the courage to do what’s right for working families in West Virginia and America, let him vote no in front of the world,” he added.
New York Times reported that Manchin, in a Monday interview with a West Virginia radio station, accused White House staff of blackout and trying to pressure him. “Well, guess what, I’m from West Virginia. I’m not where they’re from, and they can just beat people to death and think they’ll be compliant. Period,” Manchin said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Voting rights
Schumer also announced he would call a vote on voting rights legislation – another top priority for Biden and Democrats in Congress after many GOP state legislatures passed legislation limiting voting protections.
Schumer introduced three voting rights bills on the floor that received support from all 50 Democrats in the Senate, but Republicans they blockedusing the Senate rule requiring 60 votes for almost all legislation.
One Senate Republican, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted to enter the debate on the latest voting rights bill.
However, although Manchin voted for the voting rights bills, he said he also opposes changing the 60-vote threshold for advancing bills in the Senate. Arizona Democrat Kyrsten Sinema also opposes it, – the spokeswoman said last weekleaving Schumer with at least two votes of timidity.
Schumer appeared to address Manchin directly in his letter, citing his predecessor, Sen. Robert C. Byrd, also a Democrat from West Virginia and a supporter of Senate decorum.
“As former Sen. Robert C. Byrd said in 1979, Senate rules that have seemed appropriate in the past ‘must be changed to reflect changed circumstances,’” Schumer wrote. “Therefore, as in the case of the BBB, MPs will have the opportunity to debate on the Senate floor and vote so that their choice on this matter is clear and accessible to everyone.”
Several Senate Democrats were not notified in advance of Schumer’s letter, which he also released to the media on Monday.
The unusual move of calling votes that are likely to fail was a source of consternation for some Democrats on Monday.
In particular, the budget bill would give Republicans an opportunity to escalate their votes on amendments that would make senators vulnerable to attacks during the campaign.
“I was honestly amazed when I saw this this morning,” said an aide to the Democrat senator. “I can’t for the life of me understand why the Democratic leader – who barely has a majority – would do this.”
Schumer scheduled a virtual caucus meeting for Tuesday evening to discuss strategy.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the White House will coordinate closely with Schumer on the 2022 ballot. At a news conference, Psaki said the president’s message to senators will be: “We have to work together to get this done, and he I will work like hell to make this happen.
Psaki declined to describe recent conversations between Biden and Manchin or statements from the White House that may have contributed to the rift, but said Biden “of course” supports extending the child tax credit.
“We know this has made a significant contribution to halving the child poverty rate,” she said. “Of course I have no intention of negotiating from here, but he also doesn’t think compromise is a dirty word.”
Jane Norman contributed to this report.
