Manchin Wants To Pump Brakes On Spending Bill; Dems Say They’ll Keep Moving

AP: Manchin Wavers On Biden's Plan, Democrats Vow To Push Ahead
Pivotal Sen. Joe Manchin wavered on his support for President Joe Biden’s sweeping $1.75 trillion domestic policy proposal, but Democratic leaders vowed to push ahead, with initial voting possible on the bill and a related $1 trillion infrastructure package in the House this week. The West Virginia Democrat’s announcement Monday came as Democrats wanted assurances from Manchin that he will support Biden’s big package. He’s one of two key holdout senators whose votes are needed to secure the deal and push it toward passage. Instead, the conservative Manchin rebuffed progressive Democrats, urging them to quit holding “hostage” the smaller public works bill as negotiations continue on the broader package. (Mascaro and Amiri, 11/2)

The Wall Street Journal: Manchin Criticizes Democrats’ Revised Social Spending And Climate Bill 
Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) criticized Democrats’ $1.85 trillion healthcare, education and climate-change bill and withheld his support for a legislative framework that the White House had cast as a consensus acceptable to all members of the Senate Democratic caucus. “I’m open to supporting a final bill that helps move our country forward,” he said at an afternoon press conference. “But I’m equally open to voting against a bill that hurts our country. (Duehren, 11/1)

Also —

The New York Times: Democrats’ Bill Would Cover Poor Uninsured Adults, Up To A Point 
After giving up on their goal of creating a new Medicaid program to cover two million poor adults, Democrats are aiming to provide them with free private coverage as part of the party’s social policy bill. But there is a catch: The benefits would last only four years. Even with that expiration date, the legislation cannot come fast enough for people like Evelyn Davis, who suffered two heart attacks and has high blood pressure and diabetes. A former home health care aide, she lost coverage when she got divorced two years ago. She has chest pains and heart palpitations but said she cannot afford to see a cardiologist. (Stolberg, 11/1)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Horsford, Lee Demanding Affordable Prescription Drug Prices
Nevada Reps. Susie Lee and Steven Horsford are among 15 Democrats urging House leaders to include cuts to prescription drug prices in a $1.7 trillion spending bill. The bill championed by President Joe Biden — known as Build Back Better — could come up for a vote as early as this week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday that the House continues to “move forward” on the sweeping legislation, but did not address specific programs or disagreements that could delay passage of the bill. One proposal being considered would limit drug price increases to the rate of inflation and cap out-of-pocket costs to seniors under Medicare. (Martin, 11/1)

In other news from Capitol Hill —

Fox News: Ernst's 'FAUCI Act' Bans US Funding For 'Gain-Of-Function' Research In China 
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is introducing legislation aimed at banning funding "gain-of-function" research in China while calling for a "full accounting" of how U.S. tax dollars were spent on the research. "For years, American tax dollars were funneled into Communist China, funding dangerous experiments on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Lab, while the head of the division funding those activities, Dr. Fauci, failed to tell the truth to Congress," Ernst said in a press release Monday. (Lee, 11/1)