Republicans are threatening to tank West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin’s pro-oil deal after grousing over his handling of a deal he cut with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Politico reports.
Manchin earlier this year waited for Republicans to vote for a bill to invest billions into microchip manufacturing and boost domestic production, which Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell threatened to hold hostage to prevent Democrats from passing a budget reconciliation bill to fund climate initiatives and health care.
Manchin then abruptly reversed his decision to oppose the reconciliation bill, announcing a $1 trillion deal with Schumer after the vote on the chips bill.
As part of the deal with Schumer, the majority leader agreed to support Manchin’s side deal to expand energy drilling permits.
GOP balks:
Dozens of progressives have already signaled that they would oppose the deal, which is set to be included in the must-pass government funding bill coming up.
Manchin hoped that he could win over Republican support for his deal but Republicans have instead put forward their own permitting plan.
“I don’t think you can count on any Republicans to vote for something they haven’t seen,” Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, told Politico.
“Given what Senator Manchin did on the reconciliation bill, [it’s] engendered a lot of bad blood,” Cornyn said. “There’s not a lot of sympathy on our side to provide Sen. Manchin a reward.”
Manchin fumes:
Manchin said it would be “horrible politics” for Republicans to reject pro-energy legislation.
“Something you’ve always wanted, and you get 80 percent of something, and you’re gonna let the perfect be the enemy of the good?” Manchin said. “It’s a shame that basically the politics is trumping policy that we’ve all wanted for the last 10 or 12 years.”
