Among the items on Congress’ lengthy to-do list by the end of the year is Sen. Joe Manchin’s proposal to speed up the federal government’s permitting process that certifies energy projects do not harm the environment - but the bill may still not have the support it needs to pass. Read more»

The U.S. Senate advanced a catchall spending package - after an energy bill from Sen. Joe Manchin was removed - that would help communities recover from natural disasters, provide billions to aid Ukraine’s war effort, and keep the government funded through mid-December. Read more»

Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has been criticized for defending the filibuster before, but that did not stop her from repeating her position, stating that defending the filibuster may be “an unpopular opinion,” but that it’s needed to make the Senate work in a bipartisan manner. Read more»

The tax reform and spending bill signed by President Joe Biden is also the country’s largest climate change investment, with what could be sweeping changes to the National Environmental Policy Act - the bedrock of environmental law - and the law’s critics cover the political spectrum. Read more»

The group of U.S. House Democrats asking the chamber's leaders not to include environmental permitting changes in a stopgap spending deal this month comprises 76 members, including senior leaders of budget and spending committees and factions across the caucus' ideological spectrum. Read more»

The climate change and health care bill signed into law this week will lower U.S. carbon emissions by a gigaton by 2030, a new analysis from the Department of Energy said, further cementing claims already made about the the bill's clean energy programs. Read more»

Democratic leadership agreed to legislation streamlining permits for the often-stalled Mountain Valley Pipeline and removing jurisdiction from a court that keeps ruling against the project - in exchange for Sen. Joe Manchin's vote on the climate change bill. Read more»

The U.S. Senate, along party lines, passed a sweeping energy, health care, climate and tax package Sunday afternoon, following an overnight marathon of votes that resulted in just a handful of notable changes to the legislation. Read more»

Lawmakers from both parties and legal experts at a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday outlined the need to pass legislation clarifying an archaic election law so that the peaceful transfer of presidential power is ensured. Read more»

Environmental advocates largely praised the climate provisions in Senate Democrats’ massive taxes, health care and energy bill released Wednesday night, saying the measure represents a historic step toward addressing the climate crisis. Read more»

A climate change and health care package is primed to make its way through House goal posts, a stunning coup for the Biden administration after the Democratic majority leader of the Senate found middle ground this week with the coal-rooted Senator Joe Manchin. Read more»

U.S. Senate Democrats have reached a tentative agreement to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs in the Medicare program, the first step in passing a long-stalled package that’s expected to include tax and climate change provisions as well. Read more»

President Joe Biden said he supports an exception to the U.S. Senate filibuster in order to enshrine Roe v. Wade in federal law, since two senators - Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin - have stated their opposition to amending the procedural tool. Read more»

In the wake of decisions gutting abortion and gun laws, minority power on Capitol Hill leaves federal lawmakers with little maneuvering as nearly all congressional legislation requires a supermajority of 60 votes in the Senate to overcome the filibuster. Read more»

The White House and Democratic leaders expressed support Monday for a framework on gun control legislation that 10 Senate Democrats and 10 Senate Republicans agreed to over the weekend. Read more»