Schumer's back room deal with Manchin

If you thought the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was too good to be true then you were right. It turns out that Schumer made this handshake deal in order to get Manchin on board with it. This poison pill "focuses primarily on permitting changes that would help fast-track fossil fuel infrastructure—including a long-delayed pipeline in Manchin's home state of West Virginia. [...] The proposals included in the list would limit state authority under the Clean Water Act, require federal agencies to rush review processes, and limit—or even avoid—review under the National Environmental Policy Act. These measures would put a great deal of strain on federal agencies and limit their ability to thoroughly vet permits for polluting infrastructure. The wish list would ultimately benefit the fossil fuel industry and bring further harm to our climate and our futures."

House leaders plan to attach this atrocity to "must-pass spending legislation such as a bill to keep the government funded." Rep. Tlaib said that "handshake deals made by others in closed rooms do not dictate how I vote, and we sure as hell don't owe Joe Manchin anything now." Other House Dems are joining the chorus so we need most all of them to demand it as a stand-alone bill and then vote it down.

It will need 60 votes to pass in the Senate because it's outside the reconciliation process. That means it will require at least 10 Democratic Senators. So Schumer will be pressuring his Senators to go along with it to keep his despicable deal with Manchin. Once again we'll need to fight the establishment Dems to prevent a decent IRA, and our environment, from getting badly diluted and polluted. Please contact your Senators and tell them to vote it down. 

Also see this UUSJ article discussing the side deal.