Manchin may delay Biden social legislation until 2022 on inflation worries - Axios

[November 11, 2021]    (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin may delay President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" legislation until next year over inflation worries, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks to reporters reporters as he boards an elevator at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Files

The $1.75 trillion proposal aims to expand the social safety net in the United States and boost climate change policy.

The House of Representatives passed a separate $1 trillion package of highway, broadband and other infrastructure improvements last week. It was passed by the Senate in August.

Biden has spent the last few months promoting the merits of both pieces of legislation.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday that the House intends to pass the "Build Back Better" legislation the week of Nov. 15.

Manchin's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report, which coincides with government data that showed prices rose 6.2 percent in October compared with a year ago, the largest annual increase in about 30 years.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Grant McCool)

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