Manchin Surprised by McConnell’s Opposition to His Energy Permitting Legislation

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said he didn’t expect Senate Republicans, particularly Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), to oppose his energy-permitting reform legislation.

Manchin voiced his surprise about the GOP opposition in an interview with Fox News on Sept. 26, before adding that he was not surprised he wouldn’t have the support of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), one of the nominal Independents who often joined the Democrats in voting.

“I never did think I’d have Bernie and some of the extreme far left,” Manchin said. “What I didn’t expect is that Mitch McConnell, my Republican friends would be signing up with Bernie or trying to get the same outcome by not passing permitting reform.”

His bill (pdf) would speed up permits for clean energy, power grid, and fossil fuels projects, such as new natural gas pipelines. Additionally, the legislation would direct federal agencies to “take all necessary actions” to permit the construction and operation of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a project stalled by legal challenges that would deliver West Virginia’s natural gas to North Carolina and Virginia.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on July 26, 2022. (Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)

When asked whether McConnell’s opposition could be related to Manchin’s support for the “Inflation Reduction Act,” which President Joe Biden signed into law in August, the West Virginia congressman partially disagreed, arguing that some of the criticisms on the bill’s provision on a corporate minimum tax were mostly unfounded.

The Inflation Reduction Act, a $740 billion spending package, was largely negotiated between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Manchin behind closed doors. As part of the deal, Schumer agreed to get Manchin the votes for permitting reforms, following Manchin’s support for the massive reconciliation package.

Manchin’s negotiation with

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