Senate GOP, liberal Dems find common cause: Sinking Manchin's bill
Manchin plans next moves on permitting bill after Tuesday's defeat
Congress is on a glide path to avoid a partial government shutdown — and there are still three days to spare before the deadline.
But the relatively drama free funding debate did claim one casualty: Sen. Joe Manchin III's (D-W.Va.) energy project permitting bill.
Manchin announced Tuesday afternoon he was pulling his proposal from the stopgap funding bill, or continuing resolution (CR), as he faced down the reality it didn't have the 60 votes needed to pass. With that done, the spending bill cleared a key procedural vote and could pass as early as today, but more likely Thursday.
Manchin shrugged off the defeat, telling reporters he's confident he can find the needed support when Congress returns for it's post election “lame duck” session.
He could look to attach it to the annual defense policy bill or the next government funding bill that will be needed in December.
- “We have other avenues,” Manchin said, adding he's already spoken to Republican leaders and fellow West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R) on what changes will be needed to secure a deal.
Manchin has made making it easier to get federal permits for energy projects a top priority, in part, because of the importance of the natural gas Mountain Valley Pipeline Project to his state.
To gain Manchin's support for Democrats' health care, climate and tax bill (aka the Inflation Reduction Act) in August, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) promised Manchin he would pass his permitting proposal.
But it fell to the West Virginian to find the needed 60 votes in what amounted to role reversal for Manchin who is often the senator being heavily courted by his colleagues.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) used his levers of influence to convince fellow Republicans, even the ones from states that would benefit from the bill, to oppose the permitting proposal.
Republicans angry at Manchin's decision to support the IRA, didn't bother hiding their desire to sink his bill as retribution for that vote even though they have pushed for permitting changes for years. They argued it contained bad policies too for good measure.
Manchin had a smile on his face Tuesday night and said there were no hard feelings.
“It's never too contentious. We've been around for too long to be contentious,” Manchin said.
It wasn't only Republicans eager to trumpet the defeat of the permitting proposal, progressive Democrats were as well after casting the bill as a gift to fossil fuel companies. (Manchin and some other Democrats said it would help renewable energy projects as well).
“You know, this is a victory for the American people, for the hundreds of environmental and social justice organizations who understand that the last thing we need in the midst of this terrible climate crisis is more fossil fuel projects and a pipeline,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said.
House Democrats who made clear they might not support a funding bill with Manchin's proposal attached, also seemed to relish Manchin's defeat after clashing with him for most of this Congress on the party's agenda.
“I don't think any Democrat owes Joe Manchin anything — especially now,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “Sen. Schumer gave him the chance to find 60 votes and he couldn't do it. I think we should close the book on this and move on.”
By: Leigh Ann Caldwell, Theodoric Meyer, Tobi Raji
Source: The Washington Post
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