Manchin linked his opposition to the bill with inflation, which has risen at a breakneck pace despite frantic efforts by the White House and the Federal Reserve to get it under control. In the original draft of the BBB authored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the legislation would have cost the U.S. government around $6 trillion. Despite being supported by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), such a massive expenditure had little chance of winning the support even of more left-of-center Democrats. …After weeks of negotiations with the pair, the Biden White House unveiled a $1.85 trillion draft of the bill. Sinema remained mum on the updated draft, citing her opposition to “[negotiating] through the press.” Manchin, far more vocal than Sinema, remained skeptical of the bill until December, when he announced that he would not vote for it.
