Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claims 'a lot of lobbyists love' Dems opposing reconciliation bill
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez insinuated on The Rachel Maddow Show Wednesday, that a small number of her Democratic colleagues in Congress may be looking to sink the reconciliation bill due to their close ties to lobbyists and campaign contributions.
“We have a vast majority of Democrats, about 96%, that are in agreement of the entire agenda. Now, a very small handful of Democrats, about 4% of the party, are trying to essentially split these two priorities up,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “And I personally don't think it's an accident that the ones that a lot of lobbyists love are in the much smaller, underfunded bill, that don’t make prescription drugs easier to buy and more affordable, etcetera.”
Ocasio-Cortez, along with other progressive Democrats, believe the reconciliation bill, which would address climate change and prescription drug prices, needs to be bundled with the bipartisan infrastructure bill. She believes that Democrats with ties to the fossil fuel industry and the pharmaceutical industry, like Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema respectively, are looking to split the bills so they can pass the infrastructure bill, but not the reconciliation bill.
“What they want is to split them apart,” Ocasio-Cortez said, “force a vote on the first one, and because we have such narrow margins in the Senate and the House, the read that we have is that they'll just dump the second one. Leave the other one out to dry, and just never actually vote on it.”
Video Transcript
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: We have a vast majority of Democrats, about 96%, that are in agreement of the entire agenda. Now, a very small handful of Democrats, about 4% of the party, are trying to essentially split these two priorities up.
KYLIE MAR: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show, Wednesday, where she spoke about the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and the Reconciliation Bill, which would, among other things address climate change and prescription drug prices. The Reconciliation Bill is currently being threatened by a small group of Democrats. And Ocasio-Cortez insinuated that there's only one reason for that.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: I personally don't think it's an accident that the ones that a lot of lobbyists love are in the much smaller underfunded bill. That don't make prescription drugs easier to buy and more affordable, et cetera.
KYLIE MAR: Among the senators threatening the bill are Joe Manchin who has close ties to the fossil fuel industry, and Kyrsten Sinema who has accepted campaign donations from the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. There are also 3 House Democrats who have brought in roughly $1.6 million in donations from the pharmaceuticals and health products industries. Ocasio-Cortez believes they plan to pass the Infrastructure Bill but not the Reconciliation Bill.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: What they want to do is split them apart, force a vote on the first one. And because we have such narrow margins in the Senate and the House, you know, the Reid that we have is that they'll just dump the second one, leave the other one out to dry and just never actually vote on it.
KYLIE MAR: And although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has reversed her stance that both bills must be passed at the same time, Ocasio-Cortez believes that's the only way forward.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: The way that we bring our two parts of the caucus together is by say, you know what, my bill is bound up in your bill and your bill is bound up in my bill.
