Despite Sen. Joe Manchin's desertion, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tells colleagues in a letter this morning that he plans a vote on a revised Build Back Better "very early in the new year."
- Schumer said he wants every senator to have "the opportunity to make their position known on the Senate floor, not just on television."
- "We are going to vote on a revised version of the House-passed Build Back Better Act — and we will keep voting on it until we get something done," Schumer writes.
Why it matters: Schumer's letter gives Democrats, who control the executive and legislative branches, a path toward restoring momentum as the midterm year starts, rather than opening with an empty plate.
- Schumer also said the Senate will consider voting rights legislation in January — "as early as the first week back."
- President Biden last week called voting rights "the single-biggest" domestic issue.
Between the lines: These plans put Manchin on the spot twice, Axios managing editor Margaret Talev notes.
Reality check: Schumer acknowledged that despite accomplishments to be proud of, "this session has also led to moments of deep discontent and frustration.
- But he said Manchin's "pronouncements" won't "deter us from continuing to try to find a way forward. We simply cannot give up."
