Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) will attempt to remove a provision backed by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) from the debt ceiling deal that was agreed on by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
The debt deal between Republicans and the White House refocuses the push to finish construction for the Mountain Valley Pipeline provision, a project that has faced several delays since it was supported by the West Virginia senator.
DEBT CEILING DEAL INCLUDES COMPLETION OF EMBATTLED MOUNTAIN VALLEY PIPELINE
Kaine’s office said Monday the senator would file an amendment to revoke federal permits for the natural gas project from the debt ceiling legislation. A spokesperson said Kaine is “extremely disappointed by the provision of the bill to greenlight the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline in Virginia, bypassing the normal judicial and administrative review process every other energy project has to go through,” a member of Kaine’s team shared with the Washington Examiner on Monday.
The former vice presidential nominee’s team said the MVP agreement is “completely unrelated to the debt ceiling matter.” Kaine’s spokesperson said he “plans to file an amendment to remove this harmful Mountain Valley Pipeline provision.”
Manchin, who introduced legislation to complete the natural gas pipeline last summer, thanked McCarthy after the provision was included in the deal. However, he snubbed the White House in his initial reaction.
“I am pleased Speaker McCarthy and his leadership team see the tremendous value in completing the MVP to increase domestic energy production and drive down costs across America and especially in WV,” Manchin tweeted Sunday evening.
Kaine has opposed the provisions released last year by Manchin, saying the proposed legislation for the 303-mile gas pipeline running through regions of Virginia and West Virginia was exempt from “normal administrative and judicial review,” as stated in a press release last year.
“The pipeline runs through Virginia for 100 miles and takes property from landowners, but I was not consulted as a deal was struck to approve it and thus not given an opportunity to share my constituents’ deep concerns,” the Virginia senator said in a press release.
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“I will vote against the motion to proceed to this deal and urge my colleagues to do the same,” Kaine said in last year’s statement.
The Washington Examiner contacted Kaine’s office for a comment.
