After months of backroom negotiations, back-to-back table talks and heated discussions, conservative Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia has reversed his stance 180 degrees and struck a deal with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. , on a spending bill that would address runaway inflation and the climate crisis, two central items on President Biden’s agenda.
The deal, called the Reduce Inflation Act of 2022, includes measures that would invest $369 billion in energy and climate programs with the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.
The plan also limits out-of-pocket costs to $2,000 annually, not counting patient age and regional subsidies, for drugs under Medicare plans.
The agreement still has to be approved by a Senate commission and then by both houses of Congress. He is expected to face strong opposition from Republicans, but some climate advocates are optimistic.
Tiernan Sittenfeld, vice president of government affairs for the League of Environmental Conservation Voters, told CNN, “This is what no one expected, but we’re very excited to see it come back.”
“Obviously, it won’t come too soon as families battle the heat around the world and country,” he added.
Some Republican senators are not so pleased with Manchin’s new stance. Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn said in a statement that “Senate Democrats can rename the bill as many times as they want. [pero] It will be no less devastating to American families and small businesses.”
What’s more, “increasing taxes on job creators, crushing energy producers with new regulations, and stifling innovators looking for new cures will only make this recession worse, not better,” he stressed.
Still, Manchin’s “updating” position represents a loss for Republicans, who were counting on dissent from the West Virginia senator.
