Biden can’t budge fellow Dems with big overhaul at stake

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a centrist Democrat vital to the fate of President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion domestic agenda, is surrounded by reporters outside the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Manchin and other senators were boarding a bus to attend a memorial service for the late Susan Bayh, the wife of former Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, who died earlier in the year. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden appears unable to strike swift agreement with two wavering Democratic senators over his big $3.5 trillion government overhaul.

That likely means trims for the measure, which will collapse without their support.

Attention is focused on Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to spell out what size package they can live with.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated she may shelve a Thursday vote on a companion $1 trillion public works bill without movement on Biden’s package.

Meanwhile, Congress moved closer to resolving a separate issue over keeping the government funded past Thursday’s fiscal yearend.

CNN reports that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that Democrats reached an agreement with Republicans on a bill that would keep the government funded through early December. A vote is scheduled for Thursday.

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