The Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, encompassing the bulk of President Joe Biden’s social welfare spending proposals, will likely come to his desk with a significantly reduced price tag, senior Democratic officials say.

Right now, spending concerns raised by centrist Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema have prevented leadership from rapidly sending the measure back to Biden, which under Senate reconciliation rules requires “yea” votes from all 50 members of the caucus, plus Vice President Kamala Harris’s tiebreaking vote.

Recommended Stories

Biden treading lightly on infrastructure negotiations as Pelosi clashes with centrist Democrats

Biden tells reconciliation bill holdouts they can either side with him or against the middle class

Manchin calls for Democrats to hit ‘pause’ on $3.5 trillion spending bill