Senate advances bill to avert government shutdown after stripping Manchin energy permitting provision

Congress on track to get government funding bill to President Biden's desk before Friday night deadline

A bill to avert a government shutdown cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate on Tuesday after lawmakers stripped a proposal from Sen. Joe Manchin on energy permitting reform from the legislation.

By a vote of 72-23, the Senate agreed to proceed to debate on the temporary funding bill, which will keep government services operating until Dec. 16. This sets Congress on track to likely clear the bill through both chambers and send it to President Biden's desk before government funding runs out at midnight Friday.

MANCHIN ENERGY PERMITTING PROPOSAL STRIPPED FROM FUNDING BILL AFTER GOP, PROGRESSIVE OPPOSITION

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said the Manchin proposal was the only sticking point in their chamber. And House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., has been adamant that his chamber won't allow a government shutdown.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., failed to get the necessary votes for a government funding bill with permitting reform attached to it Tuesday. The Senate advanced the funding bill without his permitting proposal. (Tyler Olson/Fox News)

MANCHIN ‘DIDN’T EXPECT' REPUBLICANS TO JOIN BERNIE SANDERS IN OPPOSITION TO ENERGY PERMITTING BILL

"It is unfortunate that members of the United States Senate are allowing politics to put the energy security of our nation at risk," Manchin, D-W.Va., said in a statement announcing that he would ask Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to remove the permitting reform from the funding bill.

FILE - Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., left, made a deal for the Senate to advance his permitting reform proposal but failed to secure the votes for it to be attached to a government funding bill. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Tuesday that the Senate would advance a government funding bill without a proposal on energy permitting reform. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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Schumer said Tuesday that the Senate will come back to the energy permitting reform issue later this year, as per a deal he made with Manchin last month.

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