WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Senator Joe Manchin on Sunday said he opposes using a maneuver that would enable his party to pass U.S. President Joe Biden's $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal without Republican support, saying he favors a smaller and "more targeted" bill.
Manchin, a West Virginia moderate who holds the power to block the Democrats' agenda in the evenly divided Senate, rejected the idea of using a process called budget reconciliation to pass the Democratic president's proposed $2.3 trillion infrastructure legislation.
While most legislation needs 60 votes to advance in the 100-seat Senate, the reconciliation process allows for a simple majority. Democrats control the Senate because Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-beaking vote.
"More targeted," Manchin, a key vote in the closely divided Senate, told CNN's "State of the Union" program, referring to a bill that would incorporate internet broadband, roads and water infrastructure needs.
Asked if he would back another bill with other related spending through a process called reconciliation, Manchin said "no."
