manchin and senator kirsten sinema. we talk to them and all indications are they still believe the senate as an institution is important and doesn't need to be turned into the house, doesn't need to be broken. [inaudible conversations] >> west virginia senator joe manchin spoke to talk to the press on capitol hill and answer questions about the social spending plan, climate change and voting rights.

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> you will be first today. >> happy new year, everybody. >> i am okay. >> merry christmas and happy new year. hope you had a great time and ready for a new year. right there. >> they will bring a vote on changes, do you support changing by the nuclear option? >> i have 2 members of the --

anytime you do a rules change the way everyone is involved and that is a rule that will usually stay that is what we should be pursuing but ongoing conversations as far as voting because democracy is making sure you can cast a vote if you are of legal age, it should because it accurately. we are talking about those things. it was hard. >> you open to using the nuclear option to change the rules and have voting rights legislation on a simple majority? >> being open to the rules change that would create a nuclear option is difficult and the reason i say that is once you change a rule or have a

carve out anytime there's a carve out you eat the whole turkey, there's nothing left because it comes back and forth. you want things that are sustainable. that is what you're looking for. the common sense, now what he, a bedrock of democracy is voting and we have to do what we can to preserve that but conversations are ongoing. we've been having good conversation since we left two weeks ago. >> the 60 vote threshold are you willing to contain that and ongoing acceptance for your colleagues because of some openness? >> the need for us to protect democracy as we know it are extremely high bars we must be

careful to cross this. i'm not agreeing to any of this. i want to see all the options, what type of options, what we can do, filibusters, and motion to proceed to be dependent and the ability to restore privileges to the committees so some things that comes out of committee, these are things republicans and democrats could and should agree on. we want to talk to everybody. i am not going from one side but to go it alone coming at you pretty hard i was there in 2013-17 when the judges came back as far as supreme court judges, i don't think anybody

is happy when you do those changes. >> is that a redline? >> they are one and the same. bipartisanship takes more than a 50 vote threshold and that is what we've always had. there are talks about 3 fifths of those voting, doesn't set a precedent and we've done that before so looking at historical things we've done in 232 years. i'm learning as much as i can and want to be open and fair about it but everyone should have a right to vote and make sure their vote is counted and you are running against me. when the final vote comes in i might not be happy but it was done right. >> two questions at once. seems you are saying this

again, would not be open to changing the rules. >> that's my preference. >> different from a redline. i would have to exhaust everything in my ability to negotiate with people before doing things other people think need to be done. >> could you describe where you are on bbb? >> there been no conversations, and i feel is strongly today as i did then the unknown with covid, here we are, 95, 95, there are different concerns that we haven't had for a while so that's a concern. inflation is a concern, geopolitical unrest, the president doing an enormous job trying to talk to and called

things down so these are all challenges so that is those are. >> on the child tax credit are you hard know? >> child tax credit is still there. >> injuring families and middle income, are you hard know on that? >> i've been clear on that. there should be a work requirement, file a 1099. if you call a credit, have liability or not, the only way the irs would know that, i've been direct on that. hold on. >> january 17th deadline for changes. >> we are supposed to have a meeting today and it has been

postponed because people are having a hard time coming in so i will be going to a meeting and finding out what that entails and the timelines we are talking about. >> are you open to starting negotiations? >> i never turn down talks with anybody. i was clear on where i stand and continue on and on as we have for 5 months. i haven't changed from the first day i talked to leader schumer on that and everyone is working in the best good faith they can. i had a difficult time and understanding where we are and where our country is in the terms i have. >> for the child tax credit does it have to pass or work requirement to support the broader bills back better package? >> i talked about all different issues but the bottom line

talking about the child tax credit you had to have earnings. if you have liability you have offset of credit. the $2,000, if people think it has gone by the wayside that hasn't happened. >> how flexible is the white house on your views on the child tax credit? >> i have to talk to the white house. >> concerns about inflation would you prefer build back better instills the next congress this year? for bills back better altogether? >> we have to see what their desires and priorities are and i will respect that but i have a difference of opinion and we don't have -- to do some of the

things proposed takes more of a majority than we have. we have 50/50 with the vice president making the deciding vote. our caucus goes from one end of the spectrum to another and i'm sure they understand that. >> the electoral college act. is that something you've been talking to republicans about and would you support build back better if child tax credit is not there? >> i don't want to talk about build back better anymore. i've been clear on that. there is no negotiations going on at this time and a lot of things have a lot of things that were well intended and a

lot of things that are far reach on some things and most delicate times we have in our country is divided and i don't intend to do anything that anymore. whatever i can do to unite and bring people together you have to work harder across the aisle to bring people together. >> what your comfort level the climate provision? >> there's a lot of good things in that. we had a lot of money in their for innovation technology, tax credits for clean technology and clean environment and we have to continue to be realistic, we have to have enough energy to run our country and the transition as it happens as we move from fossil dependency to more of a cleaner, you do that by using fossils and cleaner ways, should be able to and creating new technologies, renewables as

far as all the different things. i'm big on hydrogen, nuclear and really big on making sure fossils are used in the cleanest fashion. in america we do it better than most countries. >> you are not as concerned as other portions of build back better? >> the climate thing is when we can come to an agreement made easier than anything else. >> you talk about geopolitical issues, you going to vote yes to impose sanctions before january 14th? >> i haven't thought about that. thank you all, happy new year. >> i will put my mask back on. >> podcast have something for

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