Daily News Lesson

SHOW ALL

Dec. 20, 2021, 10:33 p.m.

Manchin rejects Build Back Better bill over ‘inexcusable’ differences with White House

Sign up for NewsHour Classroom's ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning. To receive NewsHour's monthly education newsletter click here. Write us with any questions, concerns or lesson ideas at education@newshour.org .

Summary

Lisa Desjardins, Yamiche Alcindor and Judy Woodruff discuss the implications of the near-collapse of negotiations over the Build Back Better legislative package — a keystone of President Joe Biden's domestic agenda. Republicans always opposed the legislation, but Democrats are now looking at the road ahead after West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin's firm opposition upended plans.

Five Facts

  • Who is Joe Manchin?
  • What are some of the items in the Build Back Better bill that seem to be a point of disagreement between Senator Manchin and other Democrats?
  • Why did Manchin say he was not going to support the bill, according to this piece?
  • How have other Democrats responded to Manchin's claim that he won't continue to negotiate the Build Back Better bill?
  • What might happen with Democrats plans in Congress next, according to this piece?

Focus Questions

Do you think it's more important to focus on controlling spending or building critical programs around climate change, child poverty and medical care? Media literacy: Do stories from negotiations and politics in Washington, DC add to your understanding of bills and policy and why or why not they are made into laws?

For More

Failure to pass signature legislation, as well as the persistence of COVID, may have pulled President Biden's approval rating in polls to a new low. Read more about that here .

Links

TRANSCRIPT

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

Copyright © 2025 NewsHour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward