More than 70 House Democrats join push against Manchin’s permitting reform
by Rachel Frazin - 09/09/22 12:48 PM ET
More than 70 House Democrats are signing on to a letter pressing Democratic leaders to not include a side-deal with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on permitting reform in a bill funding the government.
The permitting reform language was offered to Manchin to win his vote on the massive climate, tax and health care bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act that was signed into law by President Biden last month.
Manchin provided the critical support to get that bill through the evenly-divided Senate after winning concessions from Democratic leaders.
But in the new letter, the Democratic lawmakers are asking Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) not to include the permitting reforms championed by Manchin into a stopgap funding measure that Congress is expected to take up this month.
Without a stopgap funding measure, the government will shut down on Oct. 1.
“The inclusion of these provisions in a continuing resolution, or any other must-pass legislation, would silence the voices of frontline and environmental justice communities by insulating them from scrutiny,” they lawmakers wrote.
“We urge you to ensure that these provisions are kept out of a continuing resolution or any other must-pass legislation this year,” they added, in the letter that was spearheaded by Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.).
The opposition from Democrats is a significant problem as if the group follows through on the letter, Democrats might not have the votes to pass a government-funding bill if it includes the language backed by Manchin.
Democrats have historically opposed any changes perceived as undercutting environmental reviews in the permitting process, arguing that this could hamper the consideration of climate and polluting concerns.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Pelosi and Biden said they would pass permitting reform by October to secure Manchin’s vote.
Schumer has already said publicly that he would include the provisions in a stopgap funding measure, known as a continuing resolution.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3636073-more-than-70-house-democrats-join-push-against-manchins-permitting-reform/
