White House Isn’t Giving Up on Economic Package, Harris Says

(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration is seeking a path forward for its “Build Back Better” economic stimulus and social spending plan, Vice President Kamala Harris said Sunday.

“I’m not giving up, the President’s not giving up,” Harris said in an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“Frankly the stakes are too high,” she said.

Biden’s signature bill hit the skids on Dec. 19 when Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, said he couldn’t support legislation with a price tag approaching $2 trillion. In an evenly divided Senate, Democrats need each member of their party to advance the legislation amid unified Republican opposition.

Senator Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, said on “Fox News Sunday” that members of his caucus all want to pass a version of the bill. He also acknowledged that to garner support the legislation may end up being less comprehensive than some progressive lawmakers want. 

“We’ve got to find that sweet spot,” Cardin said. “Look -- a lot of us are going to be disappointed, but we’re not going to let perfection be the enemy of getting something done.”

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