Blog Posts > The Policy Debate at the Heart of the Biden-Manchin Standoff
December 21, 2021

The Policy Debate at the Heart of the Biden-Manchin Standoff

New York Times, Eminetra – Amid the swirl of recriminations and second-guessing that followed the announcement by Senator Joe Manchin III that he would not support President Biden’s signature domestic policy plan, one point of contention stood out: their differences over an expansion of the child tax credit. Read the full article.

The legislation would extend a program under which most families have been receiving monthly payments of up to $300 per child. The program had long been seen by most Democrats as a cornerstone of their social welfare plan, hoisting millions of children out of poverty while also giving new support to the middle class. And they had hoped to make it a central plank of their midterm campaigns, evidence that Democrats could deliver real help to struggling families.

But in opposing the sprawling climate, social spending and tax bill as written, Mr. Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, has been clear about his deep qualms with the cost and structure of the current credit, vacillating between rejecting an extension outright or demanding new limits such as work requirements for parents.

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