Why Biden’s climate action didn’t pass the US Congress | Globalism

“When we talk about climate change, ‘No’ I won’t take an answer,” the American said, on Wednesday (20), at a press conference during a visit to an old factory in Massachusetts.

What actions did Biden announce?

For fiscal year 2022, FEMA will direct $2.3 billion into the Building Infrastructure and Resilience in Communities (BRIC) program. The amount is double what it was last year.

According to the White House press office, the actions being promoted focus on:

1. Protecting society from overheating and the effects of climate change. Therefore, part of the budget will be allocated to increase the resilience of cities in the face of extreme situations, such as drought, wildfires and extreme heat waves;
2. Reducing the costs of cooling homes and community centers, thus ensuring greater access to air conditioning equipment and cooling centers;
3. Increased worksite inspections to ensure employee safety associated with extreme heat situations;
4. Pushing negotiations to establish wind farms Navy (at sea) in the Gulf of Mexico;
5. Encouraging the search for alternatives to wind energy Navy in the southeast of the country.

During the press conference, Biden said that wind power generation Navy It will also create jobs in the country.

Why was the procedure not passed in Congress?

The package of measures announced by the President of the United States is executive and therefore does not need congressional approval. Biden chose this alternative after rising tensions within his party, the Democrats, in recent days.

Some senators expected the White House to declare a federal emergency due to climate change. In addition, many members of Congress and activists expected more aggressive actions from the executive branch.

That’s because, in recent weeks, Senator Joe Manchin, D-Day, has indicated that he will vote against the Rebuilding Better Act, which Biden proposed during the campaign and whose focus is specifically on climate change.

The West Virginia senator’s vote is crucial to passing the bill in Congress, which is divided between Democrats and members of the opposition, Republican Party. This means that if Manchin votes against it, the legislation, which has been one of Biden’s key campaign platforms, will not pass.

Because Congress does not work in this state of emergency [climática]President Biden,” the White House said.

Why did Manchin take a stand against Biden’s proposal?

In early July, Manchin announced that it would not support funding climate programs, power generation, or raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations. As justification, he cited North American inflation, which in June reached 9.1% – the highest rate in the past 40 years.

“Inflation is killing people,” the senator said on a radio show in West Virginia. Therefore, for now, Manchin said, he will not vote for a law that aims to raise taxes and could worsen the economic situation.

But this is not the first time that the American has taken a stand against rebuilding better. Since Biden took office in January 2021, Democrats have been scrambling to change the wording of the legislation and win the much-needed Manchin vote.

This is because the senator has said more than once that if parts of the text are changed, he will support his colleagues in Congress. However, so far, not all of the changes Manchin has received have been enough for him to indicate that he will vote for a better rebuild.

Thus, among Democrats, resentment against their fellow party members is growing more and more. “It seems odd that Manchin chose his legacy to be the man who single-handedly eliminated humanity,” John Podesta, a senior adviser to former President Barack Obama and founder of the Center for American Progress, said last week.

Critics also point to the background of the Manchin family, whose family is known to have become rich thanks to the coal industry, and point out that part of his campaign was financed by businessmen in the sector. West Virginia, a majority Republican state, has a past whose economy is closely tied to this industry.

What is the significance of the executive actions of the Biden administration?

Build Back Better was one of the key platforms of Biden’s election campaign and one of the key points of his administration. Without action from Congress, however, it will be impossible to meet the president’s goal of halving US emissions by the end of this decade.

The delay in passing the legislation affected Biden’s image within his electoral base. According to a poll published by the Pew Research Center in July, 61% of Democrats believe the government can do more for the climate.

The study was published days before the US president’s approval rating hit the third lowest percentage, 36%. This worries the Democratic Party more than the legislative elections that will be held in the second half of this year.