Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) on Tuesday threw in the towel on including his contentious proposal to speed up permitting of energy projects in a must-pass funding bill, clearing the way for the Senate to advance the legislation needed to keep the government open, the Wall Street Journal reported. With the permitting language out, the Senate voted 72 to 23 to advance the stopgap bill, which would extend current government funding levels until Dec. 16 and prevent a partial shutdown this weekend, when the fiscal year ends. The bill now moves to final passage in the Senate and will also need approval in the House, which returns Wednesday, before heading to President Biden’s desk. The resolution also contains more than $12 billion in aid to Ukraine to help fortify the country’s military with new weapons and support the government in Kyiv as it fights off Russia’s invasion. Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the Manchin proposal, with Republicans saying it didn’t go far enough to remove permitting hurdles so that energy projects can be built quickly. Democrats worried that speeding up oil and gas projects could risk damaging ecosystems and compromise the health of nearby residents.
