Sen. Joe Manchin roiled his budget talks with Democratic leaders anew Wednesday, saying the latest inflation surge makes him “more cautious than I've ever been” about agreeing to federal spending increases that could drive consumers' costs even higher.
The West Virginia Democrat, who single-handedly killed Democrats' roughly $2 trillion, 10-year social and environment bill before Christmas, has been bargaining with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over a new economic package that would be around half that size. But Manchin said grim new inflation figures meant the energy, tax and health compromise he's been discussing with the New York Democrat must be reviewed.
