Manchin’s Energy Permitting Proposal Stripped From Funding Bill After GOP, Progressive Opposition

After he had not received enough support for his proposal, Sen. Joe Manchin asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Tuesday to remove the language allowing energy permits from a funding bill.

Manchin, D.W.Va. said that “it is regrettable that members of the United States Senate allow politics to put energy security of our country at risk.” “A failed vote on something so critical as comprehensive permitting reform will only serve to empower leaders like Putin, who want to see America fail.”

Manchin said: “For this reason and my firm belief that politics should not be a factor in a government shutdown, I have asked Majority leader Schumer to remove any language that would permit us to vote on the Continuing Resolution tonight.”

Manchin and Schumer, D.N.Y. made a deal last week to vote for Democrats’ taxation and social spending bill. In return, Schumer would bring energy permitting reform to a Senate vote. They wanted to attach Manchin’s permitting reform proposal to a “continuing solution” to temporarily finance the government until after the election.

Republicans were angry at Manchin’s support for the taxation and social spending bill. Progressives, who don’t want to make it easier to fund energy projects, joined forces and voted against the bill. They had enough votes that they could stop the funding bill passing the 60-vote filibuster threshold, as long as Manchin was presenting his proposal.

Multiple times, Manchin lamented the unorthodox “bedfellows.”

Schumer attributed the fault to Republicans.

Schumer said that Sen. Manchin, myself, and others will continue to discuss the best way for responsible permitting reform to be passed before the year ends.

Some Senate Republicans stated that they weren’t sure how to vote on a funding measure with Manchin’s permit proposal. Only one senator, Senator Shelley Moore Capito (D-W.Va.), stated explicitly that she would support it, though she was disappointed by the Manchin process.