Manchin says climate and tax deal "all about" fighting inflation

Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, defended Democrats' new climate and tax deal from criticisms that it will raise taxes across all income brackets and harm the economy, saying the package unveiled last week is "all about" combating inflation.

"This is fighting inflation," Manchin said Sunday on "Face the Nation." "This is all about the absolute horrible position that people are in now because of the inflation costs, whether it be gasoline, whether it be food pricing, whether it be energy pricing, and it's around energy, mostly that's driving these high inflation. This is going to take care of that."

Following months of negotiations over a much larger spending plan that failed to yield an agreement, Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a climate, health care and tax legislative package last Wednesday, a major breakthrough for implementing President Biden's domestic policy agenda.