Senate poised for vote on semiconductor bill after Manchin again shrinks Dems’ reconciliation package

The Senate appears poised to pass a bill funding the U.S. semiconductor industry after Texas Sen. John Cornyn said the GOP will lift a blockade on it, citing Sen. Joe Manchin’s move to shrink Democrats’ partisan reconciliation bill. 

Republicans were holding hostage efforts to pass a bill to boost the United States’ economic competition with China until Democrats backed down on reconciliation. However, in light of recent inflation numbers, Manchin, D-W.Va., last week officially rejected – for now – efforts to raise taxes or pass energy and climate policies in the package.

This leaves Democrats, in the 50-50 Senate, with just provisions on prescription drugs and extending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in their legislation.