Manchin: Bennet-backed welfare checks would be used on drugs

For Immediate Release
December 20, 2021

DENVER, CO – West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin came out against President Biden’s $1.7 trillion spending bill yesterday, and the recriminations in Washington are already underway.

One of Manchin’s biggest concerns about Biden’s BBB bill was reportedly about Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet’s proposed extension of the Child Tax Credit.

In addition to concerns about cost, Manchin told colleagues the monthly welfare checks would be used on drugs without work requirements according to leaks published in the Huffington Post.

In recent months, Manchin has told several of his fellow Democrats that he thought parents would waste monthly child tax credit payments on drugs instead of providing for their children, according to two sources familiar with the senator’s comments.

Bennet has “strongly opposed” work requirements that would ensure the tax credits actually go towards helping children in need.

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney recently criticized Bennet and Senate Democrats’ refusal to negotiate at all on applying stricter conditions to the Child Tax Credit.

GOP Senator Mitt Romney, who has introduced his own child tax credit plan, expressed frustration that Democrats “are not meeting with any Republicans on any of our proposals.… This is the downside of using the reconciliation process to take on a topic as important as childcare in America.

With BBB now all but dead, it’s fair to question whether Bennet’s strident approach to the Child Tax Credit played a role in the collapse of Biden’s agenda in Congress.

If you’re covering Manchin’s comments on Bennet’s Child Tax Credit, please considering the following quote from Compass Colorado.

“Manchin is right, Bennet’s proposed monthly welfare deposits were fiscally and socially irresponsible,” said Compass Colorado Executive Director Kyle Kohli.

“There is nothing compassionate about fueling drug addiction with taxpayer money at the expense of children.”

###