[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 21, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S4881]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                 Energy

  Now, Mr. President, on a related matter, Democrats' runaway inflation 
includes skyrocketing costs to keep the lights on and to heat or cool 
homes.
  We are also witnessing the dangerous vulnerabilities that Democrats 
in places like California have built into their electrical grids. 
California Democrats have spent years putting ``green'' lifestyle 
preferences ahead of the basic needs of working families. The result is 
a grid that is both more expensive and less reliable. We have seen the 
same California Democrats, who have spent years pushing their citizens 
to buy expensive electric cars, now begging the public not to plug them 
in.
  Even as California teeters on the brink of an energy crisis of 
European proportions, Washington Democrats are pushing the rest of the 
country in that very same risky direction. They made their signature 
priority for this year spending even more of the people's money to take 
us even farther in the wrong direction even faster.
  Last month, our Democratic colleagues rammed through a gigantic 
party-line bill that raises taxes on reliable domestic American energy 
in order to subsidize wealthy people buying electric cars or fancy, new 
appliances. Every Democratic Senator cast the deciding vote for that 
reckless spending spree.
  That includes the senior Senator from West Virginia, who claims he 
only did so because the Democratic leader promised him that Democrats 
would line up behind permitting reform to make it easier to build 
things and complete projects in our country. But now, very predictably, 
this backroom deal is crumbling before our eyes. Almost 60 days after 
our colleague from West Virginia gave up his vote for this vague 
promise, it still appears the far left and House Democrats want no part 
of his backroom deal they didn't sign on to.
  As for the Republican side, our colleague Senator Capito has put 
forward a real, actual, substantive permitting reform bill that would 
make the commonsense changes our country needs. Senator Capito's 
substantive bill stands in stark contrast to what every indication thus 
far suggests will be weak, reform-in-name-only legislation from her 
home State colleague.
  As luck would have it, Senator Capito's real plan is also closer to 
passing the Senate than Senator Manchin's reform-in-name-only plan. 
Senator Manchin recently told reporters that his version may need 20 
Republican votes to become law, but Senator Capito's plan only needs 
Senator Manchin and nine other Democrats to get on board. We are 
talking about real, substantive reform that is already closer to 
becoming law. But so far, our Democratic colleague from West Virginia 
has refused to back his colleague's commonsense proposal. He has shown 
little appetite to actually get something accomplished.
  So talk is cheap. If our colleagues across the aisle want real 
permitting reform, Senator Capito's fantastic bill only needs Senator 
Manchin plus nine more Democrats to clear this Chamber. Otherwise, it 
would appear the senior Senator from West Virginia traded his vote on a 
massive liberal boondoggle in exchange for nothing.