- Manchin said on Sunday he cannot support the centerpiece of Biden's economic agenda.
- "This is a no on this piece of this legislation," he said.
- His opposition torpedoes its passage since all Senate Democrats must get behind it.
Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia on Sunday effectively killed President Joe Biden's $2 trillion social spending bill, stating his opposition to the sweeping legislation, effectively dooming the centerpiece of the president's economic agenda.
"If I can't go home and explain it to the people of West Virginia I can't vote for it," he said in a "Fox News Sunday" interview. "I've tried everything humanly possible, I can't get there."
—The Recount (@therecount) December 19, 2021
He continued: "This is a no on this legislation. I have tried everything I know to do."
To overcome unanimous GOP opposition to the package, all 50 Senate Democrats need to coalesce behind the plan so it passes the 50-50 chamber. The conservative Democrat's opposition effectively pulls the plug on the sprawling social and climate legislation.
Manchin has cited a range of reasons for Democrats to not forge ahead with their ambitious package since the summer, urging a "strategic pause" since August. But inflation is at the top of his list.
"We've done everything that we can to help people," Manchin told Insider earlier this month, referring to $5.4 trillion in emergency federal spending that Congress authorized to combat the pandemic.
Progressives expressed outrage on Sunday. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said that the legislation should still be brought to the Senate floor anyway.
"Let Mr. Manchin explain to the people of West Virginia why he doesn't have the guts to stand up to the powerful special interests," he said on CNN's "State of the Union."
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.