According to the last we heard, the Biden administration, along with House Democrat leaders, were prepared to bludgeon the debt ceiling talks over Republicans’ suggestions that would add modest work requirements for able-bodied adults without children who do not need financial assistance. This move came after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen revealed a new deadline by which the U.S. will run out of time to raise its credit card debt limits.
As many members of the House Freedom Caucus have noted, including Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, this isn’t the only difference between Democrats and Republicans.
If work requirements are what become the centerpiece of a “deal,” then there should be no deal. Talk about holding the wrong line. #HoldTheRightLine
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) May 27, 2023
Thunderdome: Enter the late entry. Tina Turner, rest in peace.): Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I). Axios report says her contribution may be to bring disparate sides together around a topic that I admit I’ve never heard of before: reform.
Why is it important? Her tardy arrival shows a willingness to find new solutions to thorny issues before the June 5 deadline, which was set by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to determine when the U.S. Government would run out of money.
White House and Congress negotiators have a hard time resolving their disagreements over the permitting reform. This is a catch-all category that includes both Republican and Democratic plans to improve energy production and transmission.
Republicans want to amend the National Environmental Policy Act to reduce red tape for oil and gas companies when they launch new projects. Democrats are seeking to simplify the access process to transmission lines by solar and wind farms.
Learn more about different plans to reform energy policy.
Go deeper: On energy permitting revisions, Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), a top McCarthy negotiator, has made NEPA reform a priority.
Democrats oppose significant changes to NEPA, but they want renewable energy to be more easily connected to the grid.
Scott Peters, a Colorado Democrat, and John Hickenlooper from California are both pushing for a bill to encourage the construction of new power transmission lines. They want different regions to have the ability to share their energy up to 30 percent with each other.
Sinema explores ways to reduce 30% of the requirement for power-sharing, which would make the transition easier but slower for the energy sector.
What is the issue? They won’t forget that the senator’s votes led to the failure of the “Build Back Better” plan. Progressives will do all they can to prevent Sinema from running for reelection to the Senate if she decides to run.
Tina Turner sang that heroes were not necessary. We don’t need any heroes in this debate about the debt ceiling.
