Sen. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinHouse Democrats unveil draft coronavirus relief legislation Former Ocasio-Cortez spokesman: Manchin, Sinema should be prioritized if ‘they will hinder progress’ CBO says the minimum wage would increase the deficit B MORE (DW.Va.) is asking President biden
Joe BidenDOJ rejects lawsuit against author of Melania Trump’s revealing book. Google expands electoral security assistance for federal and state campaigns. reverse the course of the Keystone XL pipeline, for which the president revoked a key license on his first day in office.
On a new letter to the president Sent on Tuesday, Manchin argued that pipelines are “the safest way to transport our oil and natural gas resources and support thousands of well-paid American union jobs.”
“I encourage you to reconsider your decision to revoke the cross-border license for the Keystone XL gas pipeline and to consider the potential impacts of any future action on security, jobs and energy security,” he added.
Republicans have also backed down in an attempt to revoke the pipeline’s permission to cross the border, but in recent days, Biden has also heard criticism from allies.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka recently said that wished the president had not canceled his license on his first day in office and instead combined it with an announcement about job creation.
Manchin, next to Sen. Jon Tester
Jonathan (Jon) TesterOvernight Defense: Pentagon says extremist groups ‘recruit troops very aggressively’ | Capitol Guard deployment estimated at 3M | No US combat deaths in Afghanistan for a year | VA Secretary confirms that Senate confirms Denis McDonough to lead VA under Biden Congress ponders tightening eligibility for stimulus checks MORE (D-Mont.), Joined the Republicans in a budget resolution amendment expressing support for the pipeline. However, Democrats subsequently passed a final budget resolution that did not include Keystone.
Environmentalists applauded the revocation of the pipeline license, arguing that it brought Canadian oil produced from high-carbon tar sands.
And Biden said in an executive order when he was revoking the license that the project “It disapproves” of the US national interest and that “leaving the Keystone XL pipeline license in force would not be consistent with my government’s economic and climate imperatives.”
Manchin will be a key democrat in the future on energy issues, as he is now the chairman of the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He is also the most moderate member of the caucus and can be a crucial deciding vote on certain issues.
However, legislation that would restore the pipeline’s permission is unlikely to gain traction both among Democratic Senate leaders and in the House.
Updated at 19:20