President Biden is headed to Europe on Wednesday, an inopportune time for his first foreign trip as president as his domestic priorities hit the rocks.
The president cut off infrastructure negotiations on Tuesday with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), who was the top GOP negotiator in the Senate on the issue, after their discussion on Friday left the sides far apart on key issues.
He instead will move forward on discussions with a bipartisan group of senators, who are separately preparing another infrastructure proposal of around roughly $880 billion, less than the top-line figure being discussed by Capito and below what the White House wants.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) separately sent a torpedo into the Democratic agenda by making it clear he has no intention of weakening the filibuster even if Republicans block Democratic legislation. He also announced his continued opposition to the For the People Act — sweeping voting rights legislation that Biden has touted as a top priority as GOP-led states pass restrictive voting measures.