Her. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) Manchin OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate Promotes Nomination of Biden EPA Choice Regan | Study: Fossil fuel air pollution linked to 1 in 5 deaths worldwide | Biden Gets More Time to Decide on Dakota Access Pipeline Manchin Urges Biden to Return on Keystone Pipeline Sanders Says Biden sees progressives as ‘a strong part of his coalition’ MORE (DW.Va.) insists President Biden
Joe BidenPostal Service Profits After Spike In Holiday Deliveries Overnight Defense: Pentagon Commits To Eliminate Extremism From Its Ranks | Top admiral condemns extremism after noose, hate speech discovered GOP senators send clear signal: Trump acquitted MORE to reverse the course of the Keystone XL pipeline, for which the President revoked a key license on his first day in office.
In a new letter to the president Sent Tuesday, Manchin argued that pipelines are “the safest way to transport our oil and natural gas resources and that they support thousands of well-paid jobs with US unions.”
“I encourage you to reconsider your decision to revoke the Keystone XL pipeline cross-border permit and consider the potential impact of any further action on safety, jobs and energy security,” he added.
Republicans have also pulled out to revoke the pipeline’s border crossing permit, but in recent days Biden has also heard criticism from allies.
AFL CIO President Richard Trumka recently said he wished the president had not revoked the permit on his first working day and instead linked to a job creation announcement.
Manchin, in addition to Sen. Jon Tester
Jonathan (Jon) TesterManchin Urges Biden to Reverse Keystone Pipeline The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by TikTok – Senate Process Will Have Drama, But No Surprise Centrist Democrats Are A Big Problem For Progressive MORE (D-Mont.), Joined the Republicans on an amendment to the budget resolution expressing support for the pipeline. However, the Democrats later passed a final budget resolution that did not include the Keystone language.
Environmentalists have welcomed the withdrawal of the pipeline permit, arguing that it has brought in Canadian oil produced from carbon-intensive tar sands.
And Biden said in an executive order when he revoked the permit that the project was “Deserves” the US national interest and that “leaving the Keystone XL pipeline permit would not be in line with my government’s economic and climate requirements.”
Manchin will be a major Democrat on energy issues as he now chairs the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He is also the most moderate member of the caucus and could be a crucial casting vote on certain issues.
However, it is unlikely that legislation that would restore permit for the pipeline would gain traction with both Senate and House Democratic leaders.
Updated at 7:20 PM