Spending Bill Live Updates: Progressive Democrats Lash Out at Moderates After Paid Leave Dropped
Bitter arguing between top Democrats has intensified after the party's moderate faction got paid leave dropped from President Biden's social spending plans, meaning many Americans will continue to face a choice between their careers and looking after newborns or elderly relatives.
Progressives accused their colleagues - particularly Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema - of "bowing down to big pharma & corporate polluters" and claim their radical agenda is "being torpedoed by corporate lobbyists, billionaires, and coal company owners".
Biden is set to visit the House Democratic Caucus meeting on Thursday morning to urge progressives to help pass his bipartisan infrastructure bill the group has been threatening to derail if too much is conceded.
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Less than half of Americans approve of Biden's handling of spending bill - poll
New figures from the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research show that 36 percent of Americans say they approve of the President's negotiation handling so far.
But 41 percent expressed their disapproval and 23 were on the fence.
President Biden to meet Democrats ahead of Europe trip.
The president will reportedly use the meeting to plead with progressives not to sink his infrastructure bill, which the group is using as leverage over his social spending plans.
Several major players in negotiations, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have indicated they will either miss the vote or vote against the infrastructure plans if too much was cut - with paid leave a red line crossed for some.
Biden's last-ditch plea will come just hours before he leaves for Europe ahead of the G20 and Cop26 summits.
Progressives accuse Democrat colleagues of 'bowing down to big pharma and corporate polluters'
Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Talib have been outspoken in recent days amid tense talks over the spending bill - but the latest axing of paid leave from the plans has prompted fury from the pair.
We did not come to Congress to watch our entire agenda get torpedoed by corporate lobbyists, billionaires, and coal company owners hellbent on screwing over the American people.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 28, 2021
It’s time to bring to the floor a bill that prioritizes people over corporations.
I am not going to sell out my district for a bill that was written by the fossil fuel industry and championed by two Dem senators who bow down to Big Pharma & corporate polluters.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) October 28, 2021
Good morning and welcome to Newsweek's liveblog
Today will see another round of heated negotiations between Democrats and President Biden pleading with progressives to pass his infrastructure bill, as scrapping between the party factions becomes bitter.
Follow Newsweek's liveblog throughout Thursday for all the latest...
