By David Kirk, Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Tuesday called for few changes before President Biden’s sweeping $1.75T social works package gets his approval.
Manchin held a Zoom conference with West Virginia news media to explain his rationale as one of two senatorial holdouts against one of the major pieces of the President’s Build Back Better agenda.
Manchin said that he stands on the side of caution, specifically with the bill’s expansion of Medicare.
“I’m not going to vote to expand Medicare when I cannot… take care financially of what we’re already doing,” Manchin said. “Right now it’s not something I can do.”
The bill in its current form calls for expansion in Medicare’s coverage of vision, hearing and dental work for its elderly dependents. Manchin said that he wants to offer those services, but given the current state of Medicare, he said he cannot approve the measure in good conscience…
