Manchin denounces ‘retaliation politics’ as Republicans resist allowing efforts

Senator Joe Manchin, DW.Va., has denounced what he described as “retaliation politics” as many Republicans resist his efforts to speed up the energy project approval process. did.

“It’s like revenge politics, basically revenge on one person, me. And you’re thinking, ‘This is not about me,'” he told reporters on Tuesday. rice field.

“I’ve heard that the Republican leadership is reeling, and they’re saying, ‘We’re not going to give Joe Manchin the win’ — Joe Manchin doesn’t want to win,” he added. “I think we have a very good and well-balanced bill that will prove itself over time.

Republicans, along with Manchin, have long complained that the energy and infrastructure project approval process (called permitting) is too long, stalling important projects.

When he agreed to pass the Democratic climate change and tax bill, Manchin struck a deal with the Democratic leadership to pass a bill that would allow reform.

But when he tried to push for a course of change, Manchin faced obstacles from the Republican Party, with some members feeling slighted by the passage of the West Virginia Democratic Party’s climate change bill.

Republicans felt spurred after Manchin announced his support for the Democrats’ bill just hours after the bipartisan chip and science bill passed the Senate. Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky ) had previously threatened that the bill would pass if Democrats pushed for it.

Republicans have also complained that Manchin’s changes may not have gone far enough.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, a coalition of liberal Democrats has also rallied to resist the effort, arguing it will undermine environmental inspections that often drag out the permitting process.

But Manchin said on Tuesday that “we are not ignoring any environmental review,” and that it is a link between his package and another proposal from Senator Sherry Moore Capito (RW.Va.). I said that is the main difference.

The senator told reporters the text of his proposal will be made public Wednesday, explicitly speeding up the approval process for the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

The Mountain Valley Pipeline is a controversial proposed project that will bring natural gas from West Virginia to Virginia.