Hoyer: ‘Don’t Want to Say’ We Can Pass Energy Permit Reform Used to Get Manchin’s Vote on Inflation Act, ‘It’s Controversial’

On Monday’s broadcast of Bloomberg Radio’s “Balance of Power,” House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) admitted that the energy permitting reform provision that was offered to get Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) vote for the Inflation Reduction Act is “controversial” among Democrats, said that “we will have to convince our members that the language that is brought over does not undermine our environment.” And would not commit to it passing the House.

Hoyer said, [relevant remarks begin around 6:10] “[T]he permitting provision that Sen. Schumer and Sen. Manchin talked about, you’re correct, that is controversial on our side. There are a number of people that are talking about that. We’ll see what the Senate does on that, because my expectation is the Senate will move first on the continuing resolution and we’ll see how the Manchin agreement is included in that document and take it from there. But we’ll have to convince our members, if it is included, that we need to pass a continuing resolution.”

Bloomberg TV host David Westin then asked, “[L]et’s assume the Senate does include it, do you think that you can get it through your side in the House?”

Hoyer responded, “Well, we’ll have to talk to our members. I don’t want to say that that is a fact at this point in time. Our members are concerned about that. We’ll have to see exactly what the language of that agreement is, which is to try to, as I understand it, accelerate the consideration, not change, but to accelerate the consideration of various requirements before one can move forward on a project. So, we’ll see what it says, Dave, but there’s no doubt, as you point out, it’s controversial and we will have to convince our members that the language that is brought over does not undermine our environment.”

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