Don’t let Manchin weaken environmental legislation
Indivisible SF Newsletter
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Senator Manchin (D-WV) has received more campaign contributions from the oil, gas, and petroleum industries than any other member of Congress. His personal fortune is directly tied to coal mining. He has been a ruthless and consistent opponent of environmental preservation, protection, and regulation, and he has opposed and sabotaged measures to slow, halt, and reverse the fossil fuel-driven global warming that is threatening our lives, livelihoods, and well-being.
However, without his vote, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with its significant climate-emergency provisions, would not have passed. In order to obtain his vote, Democratic Party leaders made a "side deal" with him to support fossil fuel-friendly legislation that Manchin wanted. That deal was described as legislative support for completing a gas pipeline in West Virginia, but the exact terms of what leaders promised have still not been made public.
Though the actual legislation Manchin is demanding still remains concealed from the public, it now appears he wants party leaders to ram through Congress a broad set of measures that would seriously weaken the Clean Air Act, enact corporate-friendly provisions being pushed by the American Petroleum Institute, limit the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that allows local communities and tribes to have some voice in the public health and pollution decisions that directly affect them, and curtails environmental review, public input, and government accountability of new fossil-fuel projects.
Legislation is normally enacted through a "regular order" of submission, public hearings, debate, amendment, and then a final recorded vote on a bill. But Manchin wants to circumvent that process by inserting his (as yet secret) demands into the Continuing Resolution (CR) that must be passed by the end of this month (two weeks from now) to prevent a government shutdown. That means no hearings or public input and little (if any) debate or opportunity to make amendments. And since the final vote will be on the CR to keep the government running, legislators' votes on critical environment provisions will be hidden behind veils of obscure process and parliamentary procedure—some or all of which may be by unattributable voice-vote.
More than seventy progressive House members have written to Speaker Pelosi opposing both Manchin's dirty deal and the slimy trickery of inserting it into must-pass legislation. Let the President and our Members of Congress know that Indivisible stands with the progressives.
Tell your Members of Congress and the White House: ([link removed]) we oppose including the Manchin bill or any other significant weakening of environmental programs in the Continuing Resolution!
As Speaker Pelosi’s office responded to one of our members:
"The climate crisis is the existential threat of our time – and our future depends on taking action now. As the climate crisis accelerates, we face what the United Nations calls Code Red for Humanity: with extreme weather devastating communities around the world and here at home, while disproportionately impacting our most vulnerable communities. Californians are acutely aware of the climate crisis’ impacts, as we continue to experience life-threatening wildfires, severe droughts and record-high temperatures."
We agree, and that’s why this deal must not go through. Read Speaker Pelosi’s full constituent response ([link removed]) .
** Get your updated COVID-19 booster!
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It’s also time for you to get your flu shot. Flu shots are available through your healthcare provider and at all chain pharmacies, including Costco.
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If you’re interested in participating in activities like drafting letters to our Members of Congress and developing our strategy for influencing them, the Indivisible SF Federal Working Group ([link removed]) is where it happens. Our next meeting is on Thursday, Sep. 22. Details on how to register below.
ISF Federal Working Group meeting: Thursday, Sept. 22, 7:30–9 PM. Register here ([link removed]) to join our regular Zoom meeting, where we work together to develop strategies for influencing our Members of Congress and the Biden administration to support a progressive agenda. You’re welcome to participate and contribute, even if you’ve never attended an ISF meeting before.
Indivisible Sonoma County “Hold the House” Online Meeting with guest Dr. Asif Mahmood, CA-40: Thursday, Sept. 22, 7:30–9 PM. The road to holding our House majority runs through California, where we have the opportunity to flip back districts that turned from blue to red in 2020—and where we know that votes will be counted and certified fairly. Please join Indivisible Sonoma as they welcome CA-40 Congressional candidate Dr. Asif Mahmood for their sixth “Hold the House” meeting. RSVP here. ([link removed])
There will also be “Hold the House” meetings with Josh Harder ([link removed]) , CA-09, and Mike Levin ([link removed]) , CA-49.
Bay Area Coalition Phone Banks: Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Help our friends at Swing Left talk to voters about the upcoming primaries and midterms. Join Swing Left and the Bay Area Coalition on Wednesday evenings, Saturday mornings, and Sunday afternoons to make calls to voters in California and around the nation. Sign up to participate from home ([link removed]) or in person ([link removed]) :
* TODAY, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 5–7 PM
* Saturday, Sept. 17, 10 AM–12 PM
* Sunday, Sept. 18, 1–3 PM
Voter registration drive in the California Central Valley with Swing Left: Saturdays. Swing Left needs your help registering voters in Central Valley CD-13 and CD-22, from Modesto to Bakersfield. Join them every weekend until Tuesday, November 8, for door-to-door and COVID-safe canvassing to register voters. Sign up here ([link removed]) :
* Saturday, Sept. 17, 9 AM–3:30 PM
* Saturday, Sept. 24, 9 AM–3:30 PM
* Saturday, Oct. 1, 9 AM–3:30 PM
** About this week’s photo
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If you’ve seen our newsletter posts on Twitter and Facebook, you might have noticed that we include a photo or graphic with each issue.
Today’s image is a photo of the oil-covered hands of a member of the Maryland Water Resources Administration cleaning up an oil spill. The photo was taken by Jim Pickerell and is available at the National Archives ([link removed]) .
Keep Fighting,
The Indivisible SF Team ([link removed])
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DONATE HERE ([link removed])
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