The framework has raised a number of questions that Democrats are trying to decode. Manchin left the door open to broader health care actions despite his desire to prioritize climate and drug pricing provisions. Some believe that portions of Biden's child care agenda could make it into a revised plan.
There are lots of questions about how big the bill will be, and whether Manchin is willing to budge off his demand that half its savings be dedicated to deficit reduction.
Ben Ritz is the director of the Center for Funding America's Future at the Progressive Policy Institute.
The White House is wary of scaring off Manchin for good and hasn't yet demanded specific answers, three people briefed on the matter said.
Instead, officials debated who would be the best envoys to re-engage Manchin and how they should go about it. They have talked with the senator's aides, but not with Manchin himself.
Senator Manchin is always willing to engage in discussions about the best way to move our country forward.
Several Democratic senators, including Mark Warner of Virginia, Jon Tester of Montana and Chris Coons of Delaware, have informally encouraged Manchin to restart talks. The White House has avoided discussing the issue in public and some senators have joked that the administration must not care about the reconciliation bill anymore.
Some Democrats are not happy with the game of footsie with Manchin. They think that the White House should have taken a harder line with the West Virginian long ago, and now worry that another round of talks will end in stalemate.
I reject the notion that we should look to Joe Manchin as the oracle on what is best for America, according to Rep. I don't understand the political logic.
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