‘Joe, I never had a doubt’: Biden gives credit to Manchin for major bill’s success

US president acknowledges Democratic senator’s efforts after months of negotiations

President Joe Biden praised Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia upon the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, handing him one of the pens he used to sign the major climate and health care legislation.

The legislation is largely a product of negotiations between Mr Manchin, whose coal brokerage firm has made him a wealthy man, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The two Democratic senators flanked Mr Biden as he signed the bill, and Mr Biden shook hands with Mr Manchin after passing him one of the pens.

“Joe, I never had a doubt,” Mr Biden said during the signing ceremony. “Joe had an operation on his shoulder. I just want you to know it wasn’t because of anything we did.”

Mr Manchin and Mr Schumer negotiated the legislation after talks between Mr Biden and Mr Manchin broke down late last year on Build Back Better, Democrats’ proposed social spending legislation.

That would have included spending not just to combat the climate crisis and expand healthcare, but also an enhanced, child tax credit, child care, universal pre-school, immigration reform and home care for people with disabilities and elderly people.

But Mr Manchin balked at the high price tag, especially as inflation skyrocketed. That led to months of off-and-on negotiations between Mr Manchin and the Mr Schumer. The Senate passed the legislation mostly intact from their original framework last Sunday after a marathon series of votes. The House passed the bill on Friday.

Every Democrat in both chambers voted for the legislation and every Republican member of the House and Senate opposed the legislation.

The bill includes multiple provisions to combat the climate crisis while promoting renewable forms of energy. In addition, the bill continues subsidies for the Affordable Care Act for three years, caps the price of insulin for Medicare recipients to $35 and allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices.

Democrats plan to pay for the bill by increasing enforcement at the Internal Revenue Service – which Republicans have vocally criticised – and a 15 per cent minimum tax on large corporations.