Schumer pledges to pass Manchin deal despite Democratic opposition

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) promised on Wednesday to pass a side deal on permitting reform with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to the massive tax, climate and health care bill despite growing opposition from progressive House Democrats.

Schumer said he will put permitting reform legislation that would speed the development of fossil fuel and other energy projects in the stopgap spending measure Congress needs to pass to keep the federal government funded beyond Sept. 30.

“Our intention is to add it to the CR,” Schumer told reporters Wednesday, referring to the short-term continuing resolution to fund the government, which he said must get passed this month.

The decision will make it tougher for House progressives, who feel little obligation to help Manchin pass one of his top energy development priorities, to block it.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, has circulated a letter calling for a stand-alone vote on permitting reform measures.

He told The Hill last week that 40 House lawmakers have already signed on to the letter.

But Schumer told reporters that passing permitting reform was part of the deal he struck with Manchin in July to pass the tax, climate and health care bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act, which included hundreds of billions of dollars in federal investments to combat climate change and increase domestic energy production.

Rachel Frazin contributed.