"Schumer Promises January Vote On Climate Spending Bill"

"Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) isn’t giving up on congressional Democrats’ $1.7 trillion climate and social spending package.

In a call with fellow Senate Democrats last night, Schumer promised to hold a procedural vote on the reconciliation bill in January despite Sunday’s announcement from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), the party’s decisive swing vote, that he was opposed to the legislation as currently written.

“Senators should be aware that the Senate will, in fact, consider the ‘Build Back Better Act,’ very early in the new year, so that every member of this body has the opportunity to make their position known on the Senate floor, not just on television,” Schumer told members on last night’s call, according to a Democratic source present.

It was a not-so-thinly veiled reference to Manchin’s decision to air his grievances with the legislation on "Fox News Sunday," taking his own colleagues and the White House by surprise after weeks of negotiations with President Biden that were frequently characterized as productive."

Emma Dumain reports for E&E News December 22, 2021.

Source: E&E News, 12/23/2021