Green Bay Reporter

Rep. Jim Steineke recently commented on Sen. Joe Manchin’s position in the Build Back Better agenda.

“Privately Sen. Sinema has been telling people it’s not just her and Manchin who are opposed to #BuildBackBetter – many of their Democrat colleagues are opposed as well, but afraid to speak up,” President of the New Tolerance initiative Gregory Angelo tweeted recently. “She tells them they’re ‘hiding behind her skirt.'”

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki accused Manchin of breaching “his commitments” to Biden and other Democrats, and claims that Build Back Better is an “inflation-fighting package,” Fox reports. 

“They’re coming for him because he won’t comply with the agenda,” Steineke wrote.

The $2 trillion initiative, launched by the President Joe Biden, has stalled in the U.S. Senate, which is split evenly on the matter. As a result, Democrats need the support of every Democratic Senator in order to pass it. Manchin has also been attacked by members of his party for opposing the legislation. 

“Let me be the first to welcome @Sen_JoeManchin to the Republican Party,” Steineke continued. 

Manchin has already begun working on reducing the cost of the bill, but is still concerned about overspending and inflation, CNBC reports. One of his concerns is that the cost of Build Back Better will be spread out over 10 years, but many of the programs the bill will fund won’t last nearly that long. Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-AZ) has also expressed concerns over the legislation.

"Just as Sen. Manchin reversed his position on Build Back Better this morning, we will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wants to vote again on the bill in early 2022, NBC reports. Democrats are desperate to pass the legislation before the 2022 midterm elections as Biden’s approval rating tanks.

"We are going to vote on a revised version of the House-passed Build Back Better Act — and we will keep voting on it until we get something done," he said.