As we reported Democratic Senator Joe Manchin has ruled out backing
key funding proposals for his party's action on climate change. Our
Capitol Hill correspondent Lisa Desjardin, is here for more on how
this blow to the president's Democratic agenda might play out.
Hi, Lisa
mentioned says he's not going to do it. What is the latest? Okay
lots to talk about. President Biden was just asked about this in
Saudi Arabia. He sidestepped the question overall, and just said
he himself is going to try to do what he can as president.
But let's remind everyone what just happened in the last 24 hours.
We are talking about that build back. Better idea that started as
such a huge idea last fall kept getting smaller and smaller because
of Senator Joe Manchin, largely and over. In the last couple of months,
they've been talking about two ideas, adding some healthcare and
climate provision. Let's look at what now is in it.
Based on what we know about Senator Joe Manchin, who is a decisive
vote here. Now this is where we are. First of all. Still in this
package is Medicare negotiation of drug prices. That is a big deal.
Also, still in this package mansions still supports.
The affordable Care act subsidies that need that are going to run
out at the end of the year. He would extend those but no, he says.
In the last day, he will not support climate change provisions in
this and also know to increasing taxes on the wealthy. You notice
that says, For now, the reason is, he says that he wants to review
where the economy is in August, more or less, and perhaps then he
would think about this again.
So Lisa on those climate change provisions specifically as you mentioned,
this is not the massive build back better, but still
The things that he said no to were substantive some of the most major
steps the federal government might have taken on climate change.
What was it that got dropped out, right. So in the fall, we lost
that portion or the Democrats lost that portion that was having a
renewable standard across this country. Very big chunk.
But what has been dropped more recently is just as large. Let me
explain what was on the table two days ago and no longer is climate
change provisions that would be tax incentives. $300 billion. That
would be the largest in U. S history for this issue.
These include incentives for things like manufacturing. So how how
they pump out emissions from plants, homes travel, Almost all parts
of American life could have been affected by this, And there was
one estimate that said that this would have cut our emissions by
some 74% over 2000 and nine levels. So we're talking about here is
not just what's in the air but also business.
Talking about building of solar industry capacity in this country
building of winds all of those kinds of ideas, so also some jobs
are involved here as well. I mean, the timing of this really could
not be worse. We just experienced the hottest June in recorded history.
The UN recently said that the world's nations have utterly failed
to live up to the commitments they made to cut emissions. And now
this, right, and you know, we talked today to an expert about all
of this. In fact, I'm talking about where are we? What does this
mean for where the world is and where the US is. We talk to Leah
Stokes from UC Santa Barbara, who's been studying this and she had
a very strong reaction.
The climate crisis is already having a devastating impact on our
communities and our families. There is a drought in the western United
States that is the worst in a millennium.
We're talking 1200 years. That's how terrible the drought is. Right
now. We are seeing heatwaves smash records all across the country.
Year after year, and those heat waves are killing people were seeing
hurricanes flooding you name it. Climate change is on our doorstep
and the impacts for Americans is just devastating.
Remember President Biden's original goal was to cut America's carbon
emissions in half by 2050. That is a big goal and something the world
needs to say. Maybe even that isn't enough. But now we're going to
be nowhere near that. Unless there's a program like this get that
gets renewed, but it's off the table now.
What did Senator Manchin say, was the reason why he backed away from
this
one man who can stop this because of the 50 50 Senate, he said. It's
because of inflation. He spoke on West Virginia radio today, and
here's what he said.
Inflation is absolutely killing many, many people they can't buy
gasoline. They have a hard time buying groceries, everything they
buy and consume for their daily lives.
Is a hardship to him, and can't we wait to make sure that we do nothing
to add to that and I can't make that decision on basically on taxes
of any type and also on the energy and climate because it takes the
taxes.
To pay for the investment in the clean technology that I'm in favor.
Of course, we've been reporting to historical zone figures for inflation
just this week.
Critics of Senator Manchin say he has never wanted to do anything
that could hurt the coal industry that is beloved in his state.
That he himself also was derives a lot of his own personal fortune
from the coal industry. They also point out that he gets I think
one of the largest amounts of donations from the fossil fuel industry.
And thus all of these things make it so that he has an intense conflict
of interest to talk about any of this type of legislation. What does
he say to that?
He has said he has admitted that he does have significant income
from his company family's business that is invested in works with
coal. However, he has said that any business in West Virginia has
just as much access to him as the coal companies do, and he has said
his concern overall is about fiscal spending.
In inflation in the economy writ large.
So it's off the table. For now, there's still again as we always
hear from mention the hints that maybe it might come back again.
What's next? Let's talk about where we are, because there are some
that still hope that perhaps he will get on board in September, But
there's a calendar issue, so I want to go through that with people.
It's important.
So here's the Senate's type calendar coming up. We now have three
weeks until they're planning to leave for their August recess. Now
in August. That is the same month by which insurance companies really
need to know. Will the affordable Care Act subsidy program be expanded
or not? Because that's when they're determining their rates for next
year.
That's a big deadline for Democrats. They want to figure that out
by then, and these two things are tied together because Democrats
get one shot at a reconciliation bill.
And look at that. The deadline for that reconciliation bill is September
30th. So whether there is a bill that is only these healthcare provision,
or somehow there's some climate in it. They have to get that done
by September, 30th.
And Democrats also have this August deadline. So all of this is very
difficult Environmentalists very concerned. They think there's still
some kind of hope that a lot of Democrats talking to center today
senator today Democrat
They don't trust you Mention anymore. They say he's not saying the
words. No, but we have to understand. He's telling us No, Desjardin.