The US Chamber of Commerce president warned Americans on Wednesday that progressives' hefty $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill poses an 'existential threat' to the national economy. The group is targeting five moderate Democrats with a paid advertising campaign launched on Wednesday, urging voters in those districts to tell their representative to 'reject higher taxes' it says will come with the bill's passage. 'This reconciliation bill is effectively 100 bills in one representing every big government idea that's never been able to pass in Congress. The bill is an existential threat to America's fragile economic recovery and future prosperity,' US Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark said. 'We will not find durable or practical solutions in one massive bill that is equivalent to more than twice the combined budgets of all 50 states.' President Joe Biden spent the same day fighting for his $3.5 trillion wish-list, central to his 'Build Back Better' agenda. Biden held marathon back-to-back meetings well into the evening with 23 Democrats in the House and Senate yesterday to press them to vote in favor of the reconciliation bill. US Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark (left) said President Biden's $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill poses a threat to US economic recovery from COVID-19 The president spoke with both moderates and progressives within the party, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Pelosi told reporters 'we're in good shape' upon returning to the Capitol Wednesday. The White House called the meetings 'productive and candid' but indicated there would be more to follow. Republicans have long opposed the measure, calling it a 'reckless tax and spending spree.' They and moderates have pushed to prioritize the smaller $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure compromise, which Pelosi hopes to pass on a 'two-track' plan with the larger bill. Clark also held up the bipartisan bill as a better measure. 'The success of the bipartisan infrastructure negotiations provides a much better model for how Congress should proceed in addressing America’s problems,' she said. Reps. Cindy Axne and Josh Harder are among the Democrats targeted in the first round of the US Chamber of Commerce's ad campaign The US Chamber of Commerce is the largest lobbying group in the country and it represents more than three million organizations. Its six-figure ad campaign is targeting five lawmakers' constituencies so far: Cindy Axne, (D-IA-03), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Antonio Delgado (D-NY-19), Josh Harder (D-CA-10) and Elaine Luria (D-VA-02). But the group indicated that more moderate Democrats' districts could soon follow. 'The ads appeal to voters who understand the perils of raising taxes as the nation seeks to recover from the pandemic and calls on them to contact their members of Congress to voice their opposition,' the Chamber of Commerce stated in its press release for the campaign. Each 30-second advert displays news media quotes that paint a grim picture of the US economy while a voiceover attacks the Biden administration over the impact that tax hikes necessary to pay for his agenda would have. 'American workers and small businesses are being hit from all sides. A devastating pandemic. Skyrocketing inflation. And now, the Biden Administration wants to hit them again with massive tax increases,' the voiceover says. Each 30-second ad displays grim media reports on the state of the US economy and encourages voters to call their representatives 'These tax hikes would be a body blow to our economy. Endangering our recovery. And taking more hard-earned money from small businesses and working families.' It then urges voters to contact their representative to 'reject higher taxes.' The $3.5 trillion Democrat-backed bill would include money toward establishing universal pre-K, free community college and creating the first ever federal Paid Family and Medical Leave benefit. It would also expand Medicare and Medicaid and create a Civilian Climate Corps to create jobs and tackle climate change, among other environmental and health measures. Democrats would fund the expensive measure by raising the corporate tax rate from 21 to 28 percent and raise taxes on the wealthy, which Republicans, some moderates and the Chamber of Commerce all oppose. But members of the influential 96-strong Progressive Caucus has threatened to tank the bipartisan $1.2 trillion compromise if action isn't taken on the larger bill. Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7) released a statement reiterating that warning after meeting with Biden at the White House on Wednesday. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said negotiations were in 'good shape' after her and Leader Schumer's meeting with Biden Schumer and Pelosi were one of nearly two dozen moderate and progressive Democrats to be called to the White House to discuss Biden's agenda 'As I did yesterday with Speaker Pelosi, I reiterated what I have said: progressives will vote for both bills because we proudly support the President’s entire Build Back Better package, but that a majority of our 96-member caucus will only vote for the small infrastructure bill after the Build Back Better Act passes,' Jayapal said. 'This is the President’s agenda, this is the Democratic agenda, and this is what we promised voters when they delivered us the House, the Senate, and the White House.' That puts Pelosi between a rock and a hard place - with just a slim majority in the House and Senate, Democrats can only afford to lose less than a handful of votes to pass Biden's expensive agenda. The party will have to vote in near-lockstep to pass the $3.5 trillion bill without Republican support. Jayapal praised her Wednesday meeting with Biden as a 'very productive and necessary conversation.' Others around Biden on Wednesday described him as being hyper-focused on scoring a deal. Lawmakers said Biden had a positive, focused attitude during negotiations 'The president is really fired up,' Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, told the Associated Press last night. Wyden described the president as 'vintage Joe Biden, let's-get-it-done mood' to a Politico reporter. Chief of Staff Ron Klain celebrated the reporting on Twitter, writing: 'FACT CHECK: TRUE.' Congress is racing toward Monday's deadline for a House vote on the first part of Biden's plan - a $1.2trillion public works measure - which now also serves as a deadline for producing a compromise framework for the broader package. At one point, Biden told the lawmakers there were plenty of conference rooms at the White House they could use to hunker down this weekend as some suggested they roll up their sleeves and stay to get final details done. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a key centrist who has balked at the $3.5trillion price tag, said the president told him to come up with a number he could live with. 'He just basically said, "Find it. Just work on it, give me a number.''' THE DEMOCRAT 'TOP LINES' IN THE $3.5T BUDGET PROPOSAL FAMILIES: the major families plan programs proposed by Biden are funded in the HELP and Finance instructions. Establishes Universal Pre-K for 3 and 4 year olds and a new child care benefit for working families Makes Community College tuition-free for 2 years Extends the largest tax cut for families with children ever (CTC/EITC/CDCTC) Increases the Pell grant award and makes investments in HBCUs, MSIs, HSIs, TCUs, and ANNHIs Creates the first ever federal Paid Family and Medical Leave benefit CLIMATE: puts US on track to meet President Biden’s 80% electricity and 50% economy-wide carbon reductions through the Agriculture, Banking, ENR, EPW, Finance, Commerce, HSGAC, and Indian Affairs instructions. Creates a Clean Electricity Payment Program Provides clean energy, manufacturing, and transportation tax incentives and grants Imposes polluter fees (methane and carbon imports) Invests in climate smart agriculture and forest management investments for farmers and rural communities Creates coastal and ocean resiliency programs Makes drought, wildfire, and Interior Department investments Provides consumer rebates for home electrification and weatherization Provides Environmental justice and climate resilience Electrifies the federal vehicle fleet and buildings INFRASTRUCTURE AND JOBS: invests in game-changing infrastructure projects and jobs programs not included in the BIF through the Banking, Commerce, EPW, Finance, HELP, HSGAC, Judiciary, Indian Affairs, Small Business and Veterans Affairs instructions. Historic level of investments in public housing, green and sustainable housing, housing production and affordability Establishes the first ever Civilian Climate Corps Invests in workforce development and job training programs to connect workers to good-paying jobs Provides green cards to millions of immigrant workers and families Funds smart technology for safe and efficient borders for trade, travel and migration Largest ever one-time investment in Native American infrastructure projects Rehabilitates aging Veterans Administration buildings and hospitals New economic development investments to revitalize communities and transform regions for new innovation jobs Invests in research and development and strengthens U.S. manufacturing supply chains Expands access to capital and markets for small businesses HEALTH CARE: builds on Democrats’ goal of providing universal health care to all Americans in the Finance and HELP instructions. Adds a new Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit to the Medicare program Extends the recent expansion of the Affordable Care Act in the ARP Invests in home and community-based services to help seniors, persons with disabilities and home care workers Creates a new federal health program for Americans in the “Medicaid gap” Reduces prescription drug costs for patients and saves taxpayers hundreds of billions Advertisement 'Give me a number': Joe Manchin reveals Biden told him to name his price as president desperately tried to get Democrats in line on his $3.5T budget President Joe Biden pleaded with Senator Joe Manchin to just give him a number as he tried to get Democrats in line on his ambitious social agenda and infrastructure plan. Biden told the moderate Democrat, who has balked at the $3.5 trillion spending proposal, to name his price during a meeting at the White House on Wednesday. 'Please, just work on it. Give me a number, and tell me what you can live with and what you can't,' Manchin said at the Capitol after the sit down, describing his conversation with the president. 'He just basically said find a number you're comfortable with,' he noted. President Joe Biden told moderate Senator Joe Manchin (above) to name his price on the budget deal as he tries to break up party infighting President Joe Biden called in groups of Democratic lawmakers to the White House on Wednesday, holding lengthy but separate meetings with leadership, moderates and progressives Biden called in groups of Democratic lawmakers to the White House on Wednesday, holding lengthy but separate meetings with leadership, moderates and progressives as he tried to get all sides to stop fighting and come to a deal. In total, Biden held five hours of meetings with 23 lawmakers. 'Everybody had a chance to say their piece, and there was a lot of pieces said,' said Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana. Democratic leaders are struggling to control the warring factions of moderates and progressives in the party, a battle that is threatening to derail the president's agenda. And it comes against the backdrop of a ticking clock: Government funding runs out in one week on September 30th and the nation is rapidly approaching its debt ceiling. Leadership is also trying pass a stop gap funding measure to keep the government open and to raise the debt ceiling. Manchin said he didn't give the president a figure and Biden didn't give him a deadline. The president needs the vote of Manchin and every moderate Democrat to get his agenda through the evenly divided Senate. In making the offer, Biden signaled the overall size of his spending package was up for debate, which could anger progressive Democrats who felt the $3.5 trillion was not enough and threatened not to vote for the president's infrastructure plan if the amount was reduced. Biden can't afford to lose the progressive votes either, particularly in the House where Democrats have a four seat majority. 'When you've got 50 votes and none to lose, and you've got three to spare in the House, there's a lot of give and take — that's just the way it is,' Senator Bernie Sanders said of the talks. One stumbling bloc coming up, progressives oppose having the House vote this Monday on the Senate-passed $1.1 bipartisan infrastructure bill. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said that about half of her roughly 100-member caucus could vote against the infrastructure measure Monday if the shape of the $3.5 trillion spending bill is not finalized by then. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is working on a deal with the goal of having a framework for the $3.5 trillion spending bill outlined by Monday so she can hold the vote on the infrastructure measure. 'We are on schedule — that's all I will say,' she told reporters after her White House meeting. 'We're calm and everybody's good and our work's almost done.' But behind the scenes the speaker is in 'deal mode.' 'She's 100% in 'deal mode' right now,' one House Democrat who is part of the talks told Punchbowl DC news. 'She's got that look in her eyes.' Speaker Nancy Pelosi is working behind the scenes to have a deal in place by Monday The $3.5 trillion spending package would impose tax hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans earning beyond $400,000 a year and plow that money back into federal programs for young and old, along with investments to tackle climate change. Tensions are high as the Biden agenda is a key campaign promise not only from the president but most of the the Democratic lawmakers, including those in the House who face re-election next year. 'It wasn't a matter of when we get it done, it was how we get it done,' said Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, who was with the moderate group meeting with Biden. All told, more than 20 lawmakers were invited to confer with Biden, moderates and progressives in separate meetings stretching into the evening, making their best pitches, Manchin and another key centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, among them. Despite disputes, many Democrats say they expect the final product to align with Biden's broader vision and eventually have robust party support, even if that version is adjusted or scaled back. But Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., a leader of the centrist Blue Dog caucus, said the big bill will take more time. 'I´m not sure that we´re at a place of closing out just yet,' she said. While all this is going on, the government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. Additionally, at some point in October the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted. Rushing to prevent that dire outcome, the Democratic-led House passed the funding-and-debt measure Tuesday night, but Republicans are refusing to give their support in the Senate, despite the risk of triggering a fiscal crisis. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said since Democrats control the White House and Congress, it´s their problem to find the votes - though he had relied on bipartisan cooperation to approve debt limit measures when Republicans were in charge. But in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats will be hard-pressed to find 10 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Other options to try to pass the debt ceiling package could be procedurally difficult. All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility