What to Know in Washington: Biden Vows to Act Alone on Climate | Bloomberg Government – Bloomberg Government

President Joe Biden vowed to take executive action on climate change after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) put a sweeping tax and energy bill on hold, telling congressional Democrats to move ahead on a smaller measure to rein in drug prices and stop premium hikes for Obamacare.

Manchin said hed be willing back a prescription drug pricing package tied to a two-year extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies before a scheduled August recess. But he put the brakes on enacting a wider package of tax changes and measures to address climate change until at least September.

The Senate should move forward, pass it before the August recess, and get it to my desk so I can sign it, Biden said in the statement. While the statement never mentioned Manchin by name, Biden added that cutting the cost of prescription drugs and health care would reduce the deficit and fight inflation, two major issue for Manchin. Read more from Nancy Cook and Erik Wasson.

Eric Lee/Bloomberg

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) in March 2022.

CONGRESS AGENDA:

Regulations giving US House staffers the right to unionize kick in Monday, allowing workers who have been negotiating behind the scenes for months to move into a more public phase. Members of the Congressional Workers Unionthe primary group leading the drive for stafferssaid in an interview that the regulations taking effect allow staffers to feel fully secure and protected once they begin organizing in the daylight. Read more from Emily Wilkins and Paige Smith.

New requirements for contractor labor practices, improvements to federal and defense supply chains, and increased opportunities for small businesses are all part of the House-passed annual defense policy bill. The chamber approved the following contractor-related provisions as amendments to H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2023. It passed the final version July 14. Read more from Patty Nieberg.

The House committee investigating Jan. 6 expects to receive texts it has subpoenaed from the Secret Service by Tuesday, panel member Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) said. A US Secret Service spokesman said Saturday the agency will cooperate by responding swiftly to the subpoena. Read more from Tony Capaccio.

Leadership have circulated text and a summary of legislation that would include $52 billion in grants and incentives to attract chip companies to the US along with money for training and wireless technology, according to a person familiar with the matter. Daniel Flately has more details.

Democratic candidates started July with a huge financial advantage in four of five US Senate battlegrounds that could determine which party controls the chamber next January, Federal Election Commission filings show. Republicans need to pick up one seat to take the chamber. But in three states that represent the most likely pick-ups and one where they must hold an open seat, Republicans will have to overcome a mountain of Democratic cash. Read more from Bill Allison.

Texas Democrats, underdogs for decades, probed for possible GOP weakness this election year at a biennial convention that focused on restoring access to abortion, protecting transgender rights and fortifying the electric grid. The goals were listed in a draft of the party platform released Saturday at an event in Dallas. Read more from Shelly Hagan.

Maryland primaries on Tuesday will pave the way for Republicans to retain control of one House district and have a shot at winning a second. If that doesnt sound like much for Republicans, its more than they may have expected after redistricting in staunchly Democratic Maryland. The Democratic legislatures initial congressional mapone that could have delivered an 8-0 shutout for the partywas struck down earlier this year. Read more from Greg Giroux.

Four years after angrily denying sexual assault allegations at his Senate confirmation, Justice Brett Kavanaugh remains the Supreme Courts lightning rod no matter how many conciliatory opinions he writes. Read more from Greg Stohr.

PRESIDENTS SCHEDULE:

A US energy envoy said he is confident Gulf producers will increase oil output after Bidens visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met with regional leaders. Based on what we heard on the trip, Im pretty confident that well see a few more steps in the coming weeks, Amos Hochstein, the State Departments senior adviser for energy security, told CBS Sunday. Hochstein, who was part of Bidens delegation on the visit, also cited Gulf oil producers Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Read more from Victoria Cavaliere.

Yellen said her plan to limit Russias oil earnings can overcome fears among potential partners that President Vladimir Putin may retaliate. What I heard was concern about retaliation, Yellen said Monday in an interview en route to Seoul, South Korea, after attending a gathering of Group of 20 finance ministers in Bali, Indonesia. Chrisopher Condon has more.

A judge in Tennessee temporarily blocked the Biden administrations rules ensuring transgender people at schools and workplaces have access to bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams, the latest setback for LGBTQ Americans amid a backlash from Republican-led states. Read more from Erik Larson.

Civil liberties advocates are accusing Homeland Security of skirting the Fourth Amendment by buying access to peoples cellphone location data. The ACLU unveiled a tranche of records Monday showing how DHS obtained vast amounts of location data from companies that aggregate and sell the records. Read more from Ellen M. Gilmer.

To contact the reporters on this story: Brandon Lee in Washington at blee@bgov.com; Michaela Ross in Washington at mross@bgov.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com; Loren Duggan at lduggan@bgov.com

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What to Know in Washington: Biden Vows to Act Alone on Climate | Bloomberg Government - Bloomberg Government