Manchin, Sinema to meet with Biden in talks to trim $3.5T

By LISA MASCARO and ALAN FRAM
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two key Democratic senators are expected to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House as he works to trim his $3.5 trillion government overhaul. Biden is set to meet separately with Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona. That’s according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private meetings. The two centrist Democratic senators are in many ways the linchpin for the final legislative package. Both have balked at the price tag and are now under pressure to show Biden what size package they could live with. This comes as Democrats also work to avoid a federal shutdown after Republicans blocked a routine funding bill.