CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., described his Monday discussion with President Joe Biden on infrastructure as an opportunity to understand the direction of talks between Biden and lawmakers in addition to the possibility of reaching a bipartisan agreement.
Manchin and the president met at the White House as Biden looks to build consensus on a proposal. The conversation was one of many talks taking place this week, including a meeting Thursday between Biden and Senate Republicans — led by West Virginia’s Shelley Moore Capito — regarding their legislative framework.
“We spoke about a little bit of everything,” Manchin told reporters Tuesday. “It was just a good meeting to kind of see where we are, where we are going, and how we can get there.”
The Biden administration announced in March a $2.3 trillion proposal that includes increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% among other tax changes. The American Jobs Plan dedicates $621 billion in spending for transportation infrastructure, $111 billion for water system upgrades, and $100 billion for high-speed broadband, as well as funding for economic development efforts.
Republicans have pitched a $568 billion plan, which would be supported by user fee adjustments and utilizing unspent federal dollars. The GOP framework includes spending $299 billion on roads and bridges, $35 billion for drinking water and wastewater systems, and $65 billion for broadband improvements.
Manchin, a key vote in a split Senate, recognizes the Republican plan as a starting position; he noted Tuesday the Biden administration’s proposal includes the addition of “human infrastructure,” such as health care and education improvements. The senator said there is the possibility of passing one bill related to traditional infrastructure projects — like roads — before addressing other issues in a separate measure.
“I think we can find a bipartisan pathway forward,” he said. “I think he (Biden) is willing to look at that rather than trying to push something that might not fit.”
Lawmakers passed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill in March without any Republican support; the Senate approved the measure through reconciliation, a procedure in which only a simple majority is required for advancing a bill.
Manchin told reporters major transportation projects — including Corridor H and the King Coal Highway — must be funded in a final infrastructure measure. He also spoke for improving state Route 2 to serve as a “main artery” to the Ohio River.
Manchin said he and Biden discussed improving broadband, noting the challenges in getting companies to add and maintain services in West Virginia.
“The big boys aren’t going to go up unless you pay them big money and force them,” he said. “And they won’t stay on top of them and service it.”
Manchin previously stated support for increasing the corporate tax rate to only 25%, but noted Tuesday any tax changes cannot hurt the United States’ economic competitiveness with other countries.
Biden met with Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., following the discussion with Manchin; Carper is the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Capito serves as the committee’s ranking member. The president on Tuesday held a meeting with Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema who — like Manchin — is a Democratic moderate.