Kyrsten Sinema continues to oppose her party's $3.5 trillion party-line spending bill. She is not open to a negotiation.
Sinema is stating her firm belief that she cannot change her mind as House Democratic leaders block Sinemas' Senate-passed bipartisan Infrastructure bill to force Sen. Joe Manchin (D.W.Va.) and the Arizona Democrat to support a multitrillion dollar spending bill. Sinema's legislation is used as a bargaining tool in internal House Democrats discussions.
John LaBombard, spokesperson for Sinema, stated that the $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill was a significant win for employers and families across our nation. The U.S. House proceedings will not have any impact on Kyrsten's views about what's best for the country, including the fact she won't support a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill.
This is the latest ingrained position of the first-term moderate. His resistance to changing Senate filibuster rules, and to supporting a $3.5 billion spending bill are enraged progressives. Sinema, Manchin, and both of them helped to pass the Democrats' budget earlier in the month, setting up that massive spending bill. However, both men are opposed to a social spending package which ultimately reaches its $3.5 trillion top-line mark.
Sinema specifically opposes this spending goal which was created by Senator Budget Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). To pass a reconciliation spending bill that is filibusterproof, Senate Democrats must have all 50 members, Sinema and Manchin.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated Sunday that her members are still pushing a bill which costs $3.5 trillion. However, they plan to finance it with tax enforcement and tax increases for the wealthy and corporations. Pelosi's moderates have been declining to support the Senate-passed budget, unless Pelosi brings Sinemas Senate-passed bipartisan Infrastructure bill to a vote on House floor.
Manchin, in a statement made shortly after Sinema’s, urged Pelosi to urge House leaders and House leaders to take immediate action on the $550billion bipartisan infrastructure bill. He said that he would rather wait for the Senate's massive spending bill to pass than to push Pelosi to get involved.
It would send a terrible message for the American people to hold this bipartisan bill hostage. Manchin stated that he urged his colleagues in the House "to move quickly to get this once-in-a-generation legislation to the President's desk for him to sign."
