Joseph Zeballos-Roig, Ben Winck
INSIDER
Thu, September 8, 2022
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (L) walks past Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee mark up, on Capitol Hill on May 03, 2022 in Washington, DC.
Thu, September 8, 2022
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (L) walks past Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee mark up, on Capitol Hill on May 03, 2022 in Washington, DC.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Sanders said he'd oppose a short-term government funding bill if it included a Manchin deal on energy.
The bill is set to ease regulations around building a new oil pipeline.
He also warned of a looming revolt among House Democrats.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said on Thursday that he'd oppose a short-term government funding bill if Democratic leaders attached legislation meant to ease construction of crude oil pipelines and other energy infrastructure.
"I will not vote for any bill that makes it easier for Big Oil to destroy the planet and that includes approving the Mountain Valley Pipeline," the Vermont independent wrote on Twitter. "The Continuing Resolution must not be held hostage by Big Oil."
The continuing resolution is a bill designed to keep the government funded for several weeks while Democrats and Republicans craft a year-long spending bill. The measure includes permitting reforms meant to speed up the approval of energy infrastructure projects including the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Sen. Joe Manchin's home state of West Virginia.
Sanders took to the Senate floor and pummeled the legislation, which Democratic leaders and President Joe Biden agreed to pass in an effort to secure Manchin's vote for the Inflation Reduction Act last month. Winning Manchin's support was crucial for the party to advance the slimmed-down version of Biden's economic agenda.
Progressive Democrats have fervently pushed back against the inclusion of the reforms, arguing they give the oil industry a boost when the country should be investing in renewable energy. The inclusion of permitting changes reflects a "disastrous side-deal" between Manchin and Democratic leadership, Sanders said, adding the reforms are in opposition with the energy policy the US should be pursuing.
"At a time when climate change is threatening the very existence of our planet, why would anyone be talking about substantially increasing carbon emissions and fossil fuel production?" Sanders said. He also warned of a revolt among House Democrats, saying "at least" 59 Democratic lawmakers would release a letter stating their opposition to the deal.
Manchin defended his position on Thursday, noting that the IRA included funding for several kinds of clean energy projects. Still, the senator from West Virginia argued that increased energy production from fossil fuels is needed to address more pressing energy demands.
"If I thought it was damaging for climate, I'd have never done it," Manchin told Insider. "We're talking about solar farms, wind farms, but we have to have the fossil horsepower that we need right now."
Sanders said he'd oppose a short-term government funding bill if it included a Manchin deal on energy.
The bill is set to ease regulations around building a new oil pipeline.
He also warned of a looming revolt among House Democrats.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said on Thursday that he'd oppose a short-term government funding bill if Democratic leaders attached legislation meant to ease construction of crude oil pipelines and other energy infrastructure.
"I will not vote for any bill that makes it easier for Big Oil to destroy the planet and that includes approving the Mountain Valley Pipeline," the Vermont independent wrote on Twitter. "The Continuing Resolution must not be held hostage by Big Oil."
The continuing resolution is a bill designed to keep the government funded for several weeks while Democrats and Republicans craft a year-long spending bill. The measure includes permitting reforms meant to speed up the approval of energy infrastructure projects including the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Sen. Joe Manchin's home state of West Virginia.
Sanders took to the Senate floor and pummeled the legislation, which Democratic leaders and President Joe Biden agreed to pass in an effort to secure Manchin's vote for the Inflation Reduction Act last month. Winning Manchin's support was crucial for the party to advance the slimmed-down version of Biden's economic agenda.
Progressive Democrats have fervently pushed back against the inclusion of the reforms, arguing they give the oil industry a boost when the country should be investing in renewable energy. The inclusion of permitting changes reflects a "disastrous side-deal" between Manchin and Democratic leadership, Sanders said, adding the reforms are in opposition with the energy policy the US should be pursuing.
"At a time when climate change is threatening the very existence of our planet, why would anyone be talking about substantially increasing carbon emissions and fossil fuel production?" Sanders said. He also warned of a revolt among House Democrats, saying "at least" 59 Democratic lawmakers would release a letter stating their opposition to the deal.
Manchin defended his position on Thursday, noting that the IRA included funding for several kinds of clean energy projects. Still, the senator from West Virginia argued that increased energy production from fossil fuels is needed to address more pressing energy demands.
"If I thought it was damaging for climate, I'd have never done it," Manchin told Insider. "We're talking about solar farms, wind farms, but we have to have the fossil horsepower that we need right now."
Sanders leads progressive revolt over Manchin-backed 'side deal' for government funding bill
TRISH TURNER and ALLISON PECORIN
ABC NEWS
Thu, September 8, 2022
Democratic congressional leaders are facing a progressive revolt -- that could potentially risk a government shutdown -- in the wake of the closed-door deal between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin that won the latter's crucial support for the Inflation Reduction Act.
After repeatedly slamming that "disastrous side deal" that would streamline the permitting process for energy projects across the U.S. -- which Schumer agreed to include with a must-pass spending bill to fund the federal government -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., promptly announced Thursday that he intends to oppose the funding resolution as a result.
"If the United States Congress goes on record and says, 'Yes we are going to support more fossil fuel reduction, more carbon emissions,' the signal we are sending to our own people and the planet is a terrible, terrible signal," Sanders said in a floor speech.
He did not mince words with reporters afterward. Asked if he would vote no on funding the government if the Schumer-Manchin permitting deal is attached, he replied: "Yes. You're talking about the future for the planet."
MORE: Calculate how much Biden's Inflation Reduction Act may save you
Sanders' opposition adds to the growing progressive pressure in the House, where some left-wing lawmakers have likewise threatened to block the government funding bill if it includes Manchin's desired changes to energy permitting.
Sanders on Thursday read from a soon-to-be-released letter -- obtained by ABC News Wednesday -- that he said had been signed by "at least 59" House progressives opposing the Schumer-Manchin agreement.
That deal, Sanders said, quoting from the letter, "would silence the voices of environmental communities by insulating them from scrutiny. This would cause members to choose between protecting environmental justice communities from further pollution or funding the government. We urge you to ensure these provisions are kept out of a continuing resolution or any other must-pass legislation this year."
Thu, September 8, 2022
Democratic congressional leaders are facing a progressive revolt -- that could potentially risk a government shutdown -- in the wake of the closed-door deal between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin that won the latter's crucial support for the Inflation Reduction Act.
After repeatedly slamming that "disastrous side deal" that would streamline the permitting process for energy projects across the U.S. -- which Schumer agreed to include with a must-pass spending bill to fund the federal government -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., promptly announced Thursday that he intends to oppose the funding resolution as a result.
"If the United States Congress goes on record and says, 'Yes we are going to support more fossil fuel reduction, more carbon emissions,' the signal we are sending to our own people and the planet is a terrible, terrible signal," Sanders said in a floor speech.
He did not mince words with reporters afterward. Asked if he would vote no on funding the government if the Schumer-Manchin permitting deal is attached, he replied: "Yes. You're talking about the future for the planet."
MORE: Calculate how much Biden's Inflation Reduction Act may save you
Sanders' opposition adds to the growing progressive pressure in the House, where some left-wing lawmakers have likewise threatened to block the government funding bill if it includes Manchin's desired changes to energy permitting.
Sanders on Thursday read from a soon-to-be-released letter -- obtained by ABC News Wednesday -- that he said had been signed by "at least 59" House progressives opposing the Schumer-Manchin agreement.
That deal, Sanders said, quoting from the letter, "would silence the voices of environmental communities by insulating them from scrutiny. This would cause members to choose between protecting environmental justice communities from further pollution or funding the government. We urge you to ensure these provisions are kept out of a continuing resolution or any other must-pass legislation this year."
GIVING CHUCK HIS PIECE OF THE ACTION
Sen. Joe Manchin looks to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer after U.S. President Joe Biden signs The Inflation Reduction Act in the State Dining Room of the White House August 16, 2022 in Washington, DC.
(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Manchin has argued that permitting reform will also help speed projects related to wind, solar and other environmentally friendly sources of energy. He's adamant that permitting reform must stay in the funding bill and, so far, he seems to have Schumer's backing.
Despite the progressive rhetorical thunder, it is possible that the bill to fund the government -- which will also include popular aid for Ukraine and disaster relief -- will garner enough GOP support to render the threatened liberal blockade moot.
"It was a rank political deal," Sen. Richard Shelby, the top Republican on the appropriations committee, told reporters Thursday of Manchin and Schumer's agreement. But he stopped short of saying it would put government funding in jeopardy.
MORE: Joe Manchin is 'intentionally sabotaging the president's agenda': Bernie Sanders
Still, some other Republicans are vowing to oppose the funding resolution because they oppose Schumer and Manchin's dealmaking. Many conservatives have said they took umbrage at the last-minute nature of the deal among Democrats on the sweeping climate and health care reform legislation known as the IRA. It passed without a single GOP vote -- not long after some Republicans had voted with Democrats on computer chip funding, thinking that the Democrats' social spending bill was dead.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told ABC that "I would vote against it," referring to government funding, and he said he was urging his Republican colleagues to do the same.
It's not yet clear whether Republicans will unite behind Graham's effort, but most GOP aides familiar with the matter say they do not expect that.
ABC News' Mariam Khan contributed to this report.
More than 70 House Democrats join push against Manchin’s permitting reform
Rachel Frazin
THE HILL
Fri, September 9, 2022
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 reforming the permit process for energy projects 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. 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.
And the fact that so many members signed on to the push may give them some additional leverage.
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 pollution concerns.
When they announced the agreement on the major climate, tax and health care bill, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Manchin said that they, along with Pelosi and President Biden, had reached a deal to 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.
Legislative text on these reforms have not yet been released, but a summary from Manchin’s office says they would set maximum timelines for environmental reviews assessing an energy project’s potential climate and pollution impacts, restrict states’ abilities to block projects that run through their waters and require the president to prioritize certain projects.
Specifically, the president will be required to prioritize permitting for a “balanced” list of projects including both fossil fuels and renewable energy.
The summary also said the package will require the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a controversial vessel that would carry natural gas from West Virginia to Virginia.
Grijalva previously told The Hill that he didn’t feel an “obligation” to vote for the changes since he was not part of the negotiations with Manchin. He has argued that members should not have to choose between funding the government and voting for changes that they oppose.
In the new letter, the lawmakers said that they support bolstering the environmental review process by providing more funding for government agencies, but oppose “attempts to short-circuit or undermine” a key environmental law requiring the reviews.
Fri, September 9, 2022
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 reforming the permit process for energy projects 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. 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.
And the fact that so many members signed on to the push may give them some additional leverage.
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 pollution concerns.
When they announced the agreement on the major climate, tax and health care bill, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Manchin said that they, along with Pelosi and President Biden, had reached a deal to 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.
Legislative text on these reforms have not yet been released, but a summary from Manchin’s office says they would set maximum timelines for environmental reviews assessing an energy project’s potential climate and pollution impacts, restrict states’ abilities to block projects that run through their waters and require the president to prioritize certain projects.
Specifically, the president will be required to prioritize permitting for a “balanced” list of projects including both fossil fuels and renewable energy.
The summary also said the package will require the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a controversial vessel that would carry natural gas from West Virginia to Virginia.
Grijalva previously told The Hill that he didn’t feel an “obligation” to vote for the changes since he was not part of the negotiations with Manchin. He has argued that members should not have to choose between funding the government and voting for changes that they oppose.
In the new letter, the lawmakers said that they support bolstering the environmental review process by providing more funding for government agencies, but oppose “attempts to short-circuit or undermine” a key environmental law requiring the reviews.
Schumer in tough spot over Manchin promise
Alexander Bolton
Thu, September 8, 2022
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday pledged to add permitting reform legislation to a stopgap funding bill that would prevent a government shutdown, but he’s in a tough spot as he seeks to deliver on a promise to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).
The permitting reform is a side-deal Schumer struck with Manchin in late July to pass a climate, tax and health care bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which is projected to help reduce that nation’s carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030.
Manchin offered his support for the bill in July after winning significant concessions, and his vote allowed Democrats to pass a major achievement for President Biden.
Schumer made clear Wednesday that he doesn’t plan to backtrack on his promise.
“Permitting reform is part of the IRA and we will get it done,” Schumer said Wednesday. “Our intention is to add it to the CR.”
But that plan is running into opposition from progressive House Democrats and outside environmental groups. There’s also a chance that several Senate Democrats may balk at the deal with Manchin, now that they no longer need his vote to pass a budget reconciliation bill.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s (D-Ariz.) office told The Hill on Wednesday that 50 lawmakers had signed onto his letter calling for a separate vote on the permitting reform provisions instead of putting them in the continuing resolution.
Attaching it to a short-term government funding measure would force House progressives to choose between voting no and possibly forcing a shutdown or voting yes and making it easier to develop new energy projects that would burn fossil fuels and pump more carbon into the atmosphere.
Many environmental groups are also up in arms over the deal.
More than 650 such organizations sent a letter to Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) expressing their opposition last month.
“This fossil fuel wish list is a cruel and direct attack on environmental justice communities and the climate. This legislation would truncate and hollow-out the environmental review process, weaken Tribal consultations, and make it far harder for frontline communities to have their voices heard by gutting bedrock protections in the National Environmental Policy Act and Clean Water Act,” they wrote.
Some Senate Democrats also said they couldn’t say whether they would support a short-term government funding bill that includes permitting reform until they review the details of the bill.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said he wants to know what the net impact on carbon emissions will be from passing both the Inflation Reduction Act and the permitting reform package.
“‘Are we helping to solve the climate problem?’ is the question,” Whitehouse said. “I don’t even know what the permitting reform is.”
And while many Republicans also support the types of reforms Manchin supports, several GOP senators on Wednesday panned Manchin’s proposal for not going far enough.
“It seems pretty weak to me. I want to see how they have it written up but I hear it sounds pretty weak — ineffective,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), has said that he would oppose such a measure on principle, calling it part of a “political payback scheme.”
There is doubt over whether the government funding measure combined with permitting reform could pass the House, given the growing opposition from progressive House Democrats.
“I like the idea of permitting reform. So, I’ll certainly keep an open mind,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told The Hill on Wednesday. But he also said he’d be “surprised” if Manchin “gets what was promised.”
“I know there were progressives over in the House that don’t like the idea. They swallowed the reconciliation bill, but it’s going to be an interesting process to watch,” he said, adding jokingly that “this may be a Lucy and the football moment” for Manchin.
Schumer could find a way around the jam by also adding to the government funding measure a bill to codify marriage equality. That could make it more difficult for House liberals to vote no, but it would also threaten Republican support for the package in the Senate.
Schumer says his preference is to bring the marriage equality bill to the Senate floor separately.
“We would prefer to do it as a separate bill. We hope there are ten Republicans to help us with that,” he said Wednesday.
A bipartisan group of Senate negotiators met earlier in the day in an effort to put together a deal on marriage equality legislation that could muster 60 votes in the Senate to overcome an expected GOP filibuster.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (Wis), one of the lead Democratic negotiators on the marriage bill, said she also wants to keep it separate from the short-term government funding bill.
Baldwin said Wednesday that she’s close to getting the 10 Republican votes she needs.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), one of the bill’s cosponsors, told reporters on Wednesday the talks are making progress.
“I’m never confident until a roll call. But we’re making good progress. It’s a lot of sincere interest,” Collins said.
Collins’ comments came after she and Baldwin penned an opinion piece published in The Washington Post addressing “mischaracterizations” about the bill’s scope, including the idea that it would “legalize or recognize polygamous relationships or marriages.”
Some Democrats are hesitant to sign onto the idea linking the marriage bill and the government funding package, though they won’t rule out the proposal if it helps them get both priorities passed by the end of the month.
“I’m for the art of the possible,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), said. “If it makes it easier to pass it we should do it that way. If it makes it harder to pass it we shouldn’t.”
“This is gaining, slowly in the Senate, bipartisan support,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said, referring to the marriage equality bill. “I’m hopeful that we can get it done whatever the vehicle.”
Some Republican leaders are insisting on a clean funding package, potentially punting a separate vote on the marriage equality bill until after the coming midterm elections.
Collins and Baldwin have also pushed against using the funding bill as a vehicle for their bill, though they would like to see a vote before the November election.
Despite opposition in the House, there is support among some climate hawks in the Senate to add Manchin’s permitting proposal to the government funding bill. They argue that it will bolster the deployment of clean energy.
“We are going to have to build big, planet-saving projects and the environmental movement has been organized around stopping things from being built and although that continues to be an important aspect of being an environmentalist, now we need to think about building projects that will save the planet,” Schatz said.
But if enough liberals opposing the plan flex their muscles in the House, it’s not guaranteed the funding bill would get enough Republican votes to make it to Biden’s desk.
By attaching both permitting reform and marriage equality legislation to the CR, Schumer could shift blame to Republicans opposing the same-sex marriage measure.
Otherwise, progressives Democrats will have to swallow permitting reforms that will make it easier to build new energy projects and tougher for environmental activists to slow them down.
“My guess is, if it’s on our CR, they’re gonna have to eat it if they don’t like it,” Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said on the issue. “Or wrap their arms around it if they do.”
Thu, September 8, 2022
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday pledged to add permitting reform legislation to a stopgap funding bill that would prevent a government shutdown, but he’s in a tough spot as he seeks to deliver on a promise to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).
The permitting reform is a side-deal Schumer struck with Manchin in late July to pass a climate, tax and health care bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which is projected to help reduce that nation’s carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030.
Manchin offered his support for the bill in July after winning significant concessions, and his vote allowed Democrats to pass a major achievement for President Biden.
Schumer made clear Wednesday that he doesn’t plan to backtrack on his promise.
“Permitting reform is part of the IRA and we will get it done,” Schumer said Wednesday. “Our intention is to add it to the CR.”
But that plan is running into opposition from progressive House Democrats and outside environmental groups. There’s also a chance that several Senate Democrats may balk at the deal with Manchin, now that they no longer need his vote to pass a budget reconciliation bill.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s (D-Ariz.) office told The Hill on Wednesday that 50 lawmakers had signed onto his letter calling for a separate vote on the permitting reform provisions instead of putting them in the continuing resolution.
Attaching it to a short-term government funding measure would force House progressives to choose between voting no and possibly forcing a shutdown or voting yes and making it easier to develop new energy projects that would burn fossil fuels and pump more carbon into the atmosphere.
Many environmental groups are also up in arms over the deal.
More than 650 such organizations sent a letter to Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) expressing their opposition last month.
“This fossil fuel wish list is a cruel and direct attack on environmental justice communities and the climate. This legislation would truncate and hollow-out the environmental review process, weaken Tribal consultations, and make it far harder for frontline communities to have their voices heard by gutting bedrock protections in the National Environmental Policy Act and Clean Water Act,” they wrote.
Some Senate Democrats also said they couldn’t say whether they would support a short-term government funding bill that includes permitting reform until they review the details of the bill.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said he wants to know what the net impact on carbon emissions will be from passing both the Inflation Reduction Act and the permitting reform package.
“‘Are we helping to solve the climate problem?’ is the question,” Whitehouse said. “I don’t even know what the permitting reform is.”
And while many Republicans also support the types of reforms Manchin supports, several GOP senators on Wednesday panned Manchin’s proposal for not going far enough.
“It seems pretty weak to me. I want to see how they have it written up but I hear it sounds pretty weak — ineffective,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), has said that he would oppose such a measure on principle, calling it part of a “political payback scheme.”
There is doubt over whether the government funding measure combined with permitting reform could pass the House, given the growing opposition from progressive House Democrats.
“I like the idea of permitting reform. So, I’ll certainly keep an open mind,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told The Hill on Wednesday. But he also said he’d be “surprised” if Manchin “gets what was promised.”
“I know there were progressives over in the House that don’t like the idea. They swallowed the reconciliation bill, but it’s going to be an interesting process to watch,” he said, adding jokingly that “this may be a Lucy and the football moment” for Manchin.
Schumer could find a way around the jam by also adding to the government funding measure a bill to codify marriage equality. That could make it more difficult for House liberals to vote no, but it would also threaten Republican support for the package in the Senate.
Schumer says his preference is to bring the marriage equality bill to the Senate floor separately.
“We would prefer to do it as a separate bill. We hope there are ten Republicans to help us with that,” he said Wednesday.
A bipartisan group of Senate negotiators met earlier in the day in an effort to put together a deal on marriage equality legislation that could muster 60 votes in the Senate to overcome an expected GOP filibuster.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (Wis), one of the lead Democratic negotiators on the marriage bill, said she also wants to keep it separate from the short-term government funding bill.
Baldwin said Wednesday that she’s close to getting the 10 Republican votes she needs.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), one of the bill’s cosponsors, told reporters on Wednesday the talks are making progress.
“I’m never confident until a roll call. But we’re making good progress. It’s a lot of sincere interest,” Collins said.
Collins’ comments came after she and Baldwin penned an opinion piece published in The Washington Post addressing “mischaracterizations” about the bill’s scope, including the idea that it would “legalize or recognize polygamous relationships or marriages.”
Some Democrats are hesitant to sign onto the idea linking the marriage bill and the government funding package, though they won’t rule out the proposal if it helps them get both priorities passed by the end of the month.
“I’m for the art of the possible,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), said. “If it makes it easier to pass it we should do it that way. If it makes it harder to pass it we shouldn’t.”
“This is gaining, slowly in the Senate, bipartisan support,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said, referring to the marriage equality bill. “I’m hopeful that we can get it done whatever the vehicle.”
Some Republican leaders are insisting on a clean funding package, potentially punting a separate vote on the marriage equality bill until after the coming midterm elections.
Collins and Baldwin have also pushed against using the funding bill as a vehicle for their bill, though they would like to see a vote before the November election.
Despite opposition in the House, there is support among some climate hawks in the Senate to add Manchin’s permitting proposal to the government funding bill. They argue that it will bolster the deployment of clean energy.
“We are going to have to build big, planet-saving projects and the environmental movement has been organized around stopping things from being built and although that continues to be an important aspect of being an environmentalist, now we need to think about building projects that will save the planet,” Schatz said.
But if enough liberals opposing the plan flex their muscles in the House, it’s not guaranteed the funding bill would get enough Republican votes to make it to Biden’s desk.
By attaching both permitting reform and marriage equality legislation to the CR, Schumer could shift blame to Republicans opposing the same-sex marriage measure.
Otherwise, progressives Democrats will have to swallow permitting reforms that will make it easier to build new energy projects and tougher for environmental activists to slow them down.
“My guess is, if it’s on our CR, they’re gonna have to eat it if they don’t like it,” Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said on the issue. “Or wrap their arms around it if they do.”
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