US: Biden pushes for last-minute spending deal ahead of trip to Europe

US President Joe Biden urged Democrat lawmakers on Wednesday night to push through a sweeping bill before he leaves for Europe on Thursday for a series of global summits.

The president had been hoping to pass key legislation on tackling climate change ahead of the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow.

But hope was beginning to fade late on Wednesday as two Democrat senators continued to withhold their necessary support.

CNN and NBC both reported that Biden would likely delay his Thursday morning departure by a few hours to attend the House Democratic Caucus meeting on Thursday morning, in a last-ditch attempt to negotiate a deal

His plans for climate investments, lower costs for healthcare and universal preschool were “all within our reach,” the president tweeted on Wednesday.

Possibility of arriving empty-handed

Biden will join world leaders, first in Rome for the G20 meeting — followed by a sit-down with the Pope in the Vatican City — and then in Glasgow for the key COP26 climate talks.

The White House had wanted to be able to demonstrate the major efforts it was planning in order to tackle climate change, and to encourage other countries to follow suit.

Biden would need to be present to sign any bill into law and before that, it would need to reach his desk ratified by both the Senate and House of Representatives.

“Of course he would like to head on this trip with a deal,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. She added, however, that world leaders are “looking at the president’s commitment” on infrastructure and climate, not what is being passed in Congress.

“They’re seeing we’re on the verge of making a deal,” she said.

Internal party obstructions

Biden’s signature legislation, a spending package of now at least $1.75 trillion (€1.51 trillion), has so far failed to make its way successfully through the Senate, which is split evenly between the Democrats and Republicans.

This is largely down to two Democrat Senators on the right of the party, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who have blocked key parts of the bill.

Key parts of the legislation have already been removed so as to secure their support, including plans for paid family leave and a billionaire’s tax just on Wednesday.

However, plans to expand health care programs, free preschool and around $500 billion in investments to tackle climate change were still on the table.

ab/wmr (AP, AFP, Reuters)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/us-biden-pushes-for-last-minute-spending-deal-ahead-of-trip-to-europe/a-59647008?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf