Senior House Democrats Reps. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) and John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) suggested on Sunday that President Biden’s $3.5 trillion spending package may be slimmed down, Reuters reported.
During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Yarmuth, chairman of the House Budget Committee, told host Chris Wallace that House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) may also delay Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure package.
Yarmuth said he expects that the larger social spending bill’s top line number “will be somewhat less than $3.5 trillion,” breaking with Democrats like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) who insist $3.5 trillion is a floor figure.
During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Clyburn told host Jake Tapper that the $3.5 trillion price tag could be lower or stay the same.
“And so it may be 3.5, it may be close to that or it may be closer to something else. So I think that we are really focused on the American people and think about what it takes to get us in a good place and then let the numbers take care of themselves,” Clyburn said.
This comes as Democratic lawmakers are pushing toward the Sept 27 deadline to pass Biden’s sweeping spending package. While Clyburn and Yarmuth appear open to a somewhat reduced spending package, there remains a large gap between the party’s most conservative members and its progressive wing.
Moderate Democrats Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) have said they will not vote for a $3.5 trillion package, with Manchin suggesting the spending bill should be cut in half.