Congresswoman Tlaib Statement on Manchin’s BBB No Vote Announcement

DETROIT, MI – Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) released the following statement regarding Senator Joe Manchin’s announcement this morning that he will not vote for President’s Biden’s Build Back Better Act: 

“It should not surprise anyone that Senator Joe Manchin went on Fox News to kill the Build Back Better Act – he’s been promising to do it for months, and some folks did not want to believe him. We gave up our leverage the moment the Bipartisan Infrastructure legislation passed and he got the fossil fuel subsidies he wanted. President Joe Biden’s policy agenda has been scuttled by Joe Manchin. Progress for the American people has been halted by Joe Manchin. 

“From the beginning, I have worked in good faith with the Administration, my colleagues in the House, and my counterparts in the Senate to send both the Build Back Better bill and the infrastructure bill to the President’s desk in tandem. When that commitment was broken by conservative Democrats, I feared this would spell trouble when it came to our commitment to deliver for the American people and my district. Joe Manchin’s announcement this morning confirmed those fears. 

“In 2020, voters delivered the White House and the Senate to Democrats. They sent a loud message and a clear mandate that we must provide solutions to their everyday issues. The Build Back Better legislation provides meaningful change by expanding health care, making child care more affordable, fighting climate change, delivering clean water and so much more. It does this by simply having the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes. 

“Unfortunately, one conservative Democrat beholden to the fossil fuel industry and corporations has single-handedly stopped progress and failed the American people. Our constituents deserve so much more. We were elected to deliver economic relief and we promised to put people’s needs before corporate greed. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer should move forward with the vote and make Manchin follow through on the betrayal of his constituents instead of enjoying the attention on TV.”