Biden plan at stake, Pelosi pushes ahead for $3.5T deal

By LISA MASCARO
AP Congressional Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — With President Joe Biden’s government overhaul agenda at stake, Democrats are confronting high-stakes trouble. Thursday’s promised vote on the first piece, a slimmer $1 trillion public works bill, is faltering amid stalled talks on his more ambitious package. Attention is focused on Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Biden’s big bill is currently pegged at $3.5 trillion, but Manchin now says he can support only $1.5 trillion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated she’s pressing ahead, trying to strike a deal, and Biden has cleared his schedule. Meanwhile, Congress moved closer to resolving a separate issue over keeping the government funded past Thursday’s fiscal yearend.