2 Democratic Senators are already saying Biden's infrastructure plan probably needs to change
- Democrats in the Senate are already voicing their concerns with the infrastructure package.
- Sen. Joe Manchin says he's concerned about the increase to the corporate tax rate.
- And Sen. Mark Warner has "already expressed some concerns" and wants more input.
Two Democratic senators have already voiced concerns about President Joe Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan.
One of them is Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia who has already proven himself to be an outsized presence in the razor-thin Democratic majority. He was also a pivotal voice against the inclusion of a $15 minimum wage in the American Rescue Plan.
Now, he's expressed his concerns with the infrastructure package. In an interview with Talkline, a West Virginia radio show, Manchin said that, "as the bill exists today, it needs to be changed."
Regarding Biden's proposed increase of the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, Manchin indicated that he doesn't support the 28% figure and stressed that the international average is a few percentage points lower. The rate "should have never been under 25%," he said. "That's the worldwide average. And that's what basically every corporation would have told you was fair."
When asked if he would not support a bill that raises the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, Manchin said: "Well, the bill basically is not going to end up that way"
Manchin also said the bill wouldn't be passed by reconciliation "unless we vote to get on it." When radio host Hoppy Kercheval said "they" could pass the bill by reconciliation.
"No, they can't. Not unless we vote to get on it," Manchin said in response. "And if I don't vote to get on it, it's not going anywhere."
Meanwhile, in a briefing on Monday, Biden said he was "not at all" worried that raising that rate would drive corporations to different countries. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also argued in support of a global minimum tax rate today.
As Politico reports, Manchin isn't alone: Another Democratic senator, Mark Warner of Virginia, has also expressed concerns.
"I've had some outreach from the White House, but it was more heads-up than input into the development of the package," he said, according to Politico. "So I've already expressed some concerns."
Getting Democrats on board with the infrastructure package will be key to its passage, as Senate Minority Mitch McConnell has already said that it won't get any GOP votes in the Senate. That means Democrats will likely have to compromise internally amongst themselves,