Sanders says Manchin not supporting Biden’s spending package is ‘not acceptable’

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said on Sunday that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) not supporting President Biden’s $3.5 trillion spending package was “not acceptable.” 

“No, it’s absolutely not acceptable to me. I don’t think it’s acceptable to the president, to the American people or to the overwhelming majority of the people in the Democratic caucus,” Sanders told host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.” 

“This is a consequential bill. It is hard to put a bill like this together. At the end of the day, I believe we will,” Sanders told Bash.

Mentioning that he worked with Manchin on the passing of the American Rescue Plan earlier this year, Sanders said he was hopeful the Senate would pass the $3.5 trillion spending bill package. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders says Sen. Joe Manchin preferring $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion for the reconciliation bill is “absolutely not acceptable.”

“Many of us made a major compromise in going from the $6 trillion bill that we wanted” down to $3.5 trillion, Sanders says. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/CNC24VD65f

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) September 12, 2021

Manchin said on Sunday that he would not support the $3.5 trillion package, which the Senate hopes to pass this week so the House can pass the measure by Sept. 27. 

Manchin proposed a $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion spending package that will address child nutrition, unemployment and the tax code.