Sanders says there may be ‘give and take’ on reconciliation price tag

by Caroline Vakil - 10/03/21 9:46 AM ET

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) acknowledged on Sunday that there may have to be some “give and take” on lowering the price tag for a reconciliation bill.

Sanders told ABC’s “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl that he knows he’s not going to get the full amount he wants to address the social spending priorities that progressives are aiming for.

“What the president has said is that there’s going to have to be some give and take, and I think that that’s right. I think if anything, Jonathan, when we especially talk about the crisis of climate change and the need to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel, the $6 trillion that I originally proposed was probably too little,” Sanders told Karl on Sunday. “Three and a half trillion should be a minimum, but I accept that there’s gonna have to be give and take.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders tells @jonkarl that the $3.5 trillion budget resolution price tag will likely be lowered.

“The $3.5 trillion should be a minimum, but I accept that there’s gonna have to be give and take.” https://t.co/5MGcXtm7a4 pic.twitter.com/efP8oRyu7m

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 3, 2021

Moderates and progressives came to a deadlock this week as attempts to bring a vote on the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill failed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had aimed to have the House hold a vote on the bipartisan bill on Thursday, however progressives threatened to tank the bill unless the reconciliation package was passed first.

The bipartisan infrastructure bill has been languishing in the House since the Senate passed the bill in a 69-30 vote in August.

However, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) held up the bill over its $3.5 trillion topline price tag. Manchin revealed this week that he would support a $1.5 trillion price tag instead, well below what moderates are looking for.

Plans to vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill were punted again on Friday as President Biden broke the news that a vote on the legislation would not take place in the House. According to two lawmakers in the room, Biden threw out a range that congressional Democrats could seek instead – between $1.9 trillion to $2.3 trillion.