Sunday shows – Democrats’ spending package in the spotlight
by The Hill staff
The Democrats’ pared-down social spending package was the focus of discussions on the Sunday morning political talk shows.
A leadership aide told The Hill on Saturday that House Democrats are looking to pass both the social spending and bipartisan infrastructure bills as early as Tuesday.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Sunday Biden administration officials and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill are “the closest we have ever been” to passing the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a massive social spending package as negotiators look to finalize a deal this week.
When asked by host George Stephanoloulos on ABC’s “This Week” how he can be optimistic that the measures will pass when Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) have not yet expressed support for the larger package’s framework, Buttigieg said President Biden is confident the it will pass after discussions with progressives and moderates in the party.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said on Sunday that the work is not over to get some more progressive policies, including allowing the government to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors, into the Biden administration’s social spending bill before the House votes on the plan.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Sunday said “the fight is not over” when asked about a host of initiatives that were eventually cut from the latest iteration of the Democrats’ social spending package.
“Look, there are so many things that are still happening in our economy — distortions, disruptions, things in our supply chain that are affecting prices that are clearly a direct consequence of the pandemic. Which is why the best thing we can do for our economy in the short term, and to deal with these transitory issues is to put the pandemic behind us,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), who has been critical of former President Trump’s claims about the election and announced last week that he will not seek reelection, slammed Republicans on Sunday “who haven’t said a dang word” about the “lie and conspiracy” pushed by factions of the GOP.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview aired on Sunday that as Iran prepares to rejoin nuclear negotiations, the U.S. and other parties are looking into “other options” in case Iran is not prepared to negotiate in good faith.
