Sen. Joe Manchin III is threatening unprecedented action against President Biden’s tax and climate spending law known as the Inflation Reduction Act: to support the repeal of the very law he wrote.
The conservative West Virginia Democrat has reached a tipping point after months of tension over what he says is the administration bending its intent to better suit Mr. Biden’s climate change agenda rather than strengthening U.S. energy security.
“Let me make it very clear: If this administration does not honor what it said it would do, and basically continue to liberalize that … I will do everything I can in my power to prevent that from happening,” Mr. Manchin told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Monday night. “And if they don’t change that, I would vote to repeal my own bill.”
His stark warning was predated last month by a legal threat to sue the administration over its handling of electric vehicle tax credits and stringent domestic sourcing requirements that Mr. Manchin stipulated for EV buyers to get up to a $7,500 tax credit.
The administration has denied any wrongdoing and argues the Inflation Reduction Act, which doles out $370 billion over the next decade in green energy credits, is a complex law to implement.
Mr. Manchin’s comments came ahead of another prominent Republican challenger to oust him next year from a seat that could determine control of the Senate. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is set to launch his Senate campaign this week, joining fellow Republicans Chris Rose and Rep. Alex Mooney.
While Senate Democrats would not allow a standalone repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act to even receive a floor vote, House Republicans are pushing to roll back many of its provisions in legislation to raise the debt ceiling and avoid default.
Mr. Manchin also wields immense power over Mr. Biden’s nominees, several of whom he’s voted against in recent months. He chairs the Senate Energy Committee, which is the gatekeeper for Energy Department nominees, and acts as a key swing vote in Democrats’ one-seat majority and amid the absence of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California.
He vowed to continue voting as an independent voice and that his fellow Democrats will not “take control of me.”
“They don’t always get my vote, you know that,” Mr. Manchin told Mr. Hannity. “If I can’t go home and explain, I don’t vote for it. And I think about that every day. Why am I a Democrat when everybody’s going in different directions?”
He continued: “But party should not make who you are as a person. You should be a person who’s committed to this country and your state first before the parties take control of you. They’re not going to take control of me.”
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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