US Democratic Senator says he's 'uncomfortable' with mounting cost of Biden's new agenda

US Democratic Senator Joe Manchin on Wednesday said that he is growing uncomfortable with the mounting cost of President Joe Biden's latest agenda on American jobs and families, with the latest installment expected to cost about USD 1.8 billion.

Biden, in his first State of the Union address to Congress, on the eve of his 100 days in office, stated that 'The American Jobs Plan' will create millions of good-paying jobs-- "jobs Americans can raise their families on". He added that all the investments in the American Jobs Plan will be guided by one principle: 'Buy American'.

According to The Hill, the American Jobs Plan costs around USD 2.3 trillion while Biden's American Families Plan will cost USD 1.8 trillion. The total cost of the agenda - including the president's USD 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal passed by Congress in March - is around USD 6 billion.

"It's a lot of money, a lot of money. That makes you very uncomfortable," Manchin told reporters ahead of Biden's address to Congress on Wednesday (local time).

Manchin has repeatedly said that he wants to pay for as much of Biden's multitrillion-dollar infrastructure package as possible but has also expressed reservations about raising taxes.

"I don't know how much more debt" the country should add, he further said when asked if Biden's plans need to be fully paid, The Hill reported.

"We're at USD 28.2 trillion now, debt, so you have to be very careful. There's a balance to be had here," he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Jon Tester said that he was initially pleased with Biden's proposal to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to expand access to child care, prekindergarten and paid family leave. However, he said that he wants to take a closer look at the American Families Plan to make sure it's not overlapping with some of Biden's other spending proposals.

"I think the goals are great, and I just [need to] have a look at it and see how it dovetails in with the other ones, see how much overlap there is," he said.

President Biden used his address to tout his efforts to get the nation back to normal after the pandemic and the divisive presidency of Donald Trump. He made no direct mention of his predecessor, but argued those present had a responsibility to "prove democracy still works and our government still works and we can deliver for our people", The Hill reported.

"We have stared into an abyss of insurrection and autocracy -- of pandemic and pain -- and 'We the People' did not flinch," Biden said.

He also touted new legislative proposals to invest a total of USD 4 trillion to build climate-friendly infrastructure such as roadways and broadband as well as child care and family leave programs.

Furthermore, history was created when US Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi took their seats behind Biden as he addressed his first joint session of Congress, marking the first time both seats on the dais behind a US President delivering an address was filled by women.

( With inputs from ANI )