WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and Sen. Joe Manchin were said to be sharply divided Wednesday over Democrats' huge social and environment bill, with the holdout senator pushing to erase the measure's improved child tax credit, as leaders' hopes of passing the legislation before Christmas appear to be fading away.

The rocky status of their talks, described only on condition of anonymity by a person familiar with the talks, was among several indications that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer faces a struggle to even begin debate on the massive measure before the holiday. Schumer, D-N.Y., has set a goal for passage of the 10-year, roughly $2 trillion measure by Christmas, in hopes of finally concluding his party's eight months of infighting over the package.

Many Democrats consider the expanded child tax credit the bill's chief weapon in their effort to reduce child poverty, and one of the provisions most responsible for largely unifying Democrats behind the legislation.

Manchin told reporters that assertions he wants to strip the child tax credit provisions were “a lot of bad rumors,” adding that he's “always been for child tax credits.”

In another factor clouding the bill's prospects, Biden suggested that Senate Democrats should instead prioritize voting rights legislation, a primary party goal that Republicans have long stymied. Democrats face an uphill fight on the voting measure.

Asked whether Congress should quickly consider the voting legislation and delay the $2 trillion bill to next year, Biden told reporters, “If we can get the congressional voting rights done, we should do it.” He added, “There's nothing domestically more important than voting rights.” Biden spoke as he toured tornado damage in Dawson Springs, Ky.

With Democrats having blown past previous self-imposed deadlines on the measure, another delay would fuel Republican accusations that they are incompetently running a government they control.