Joe Manchin Runs From Joe Manchin’s Law

One Year Later, Joe Manchin Is Downplaying How Central He Was To The Passage Of Democrats’ Reckless Taxing And Spending Spree

“When Democrats’ big swing on climate appeared all but dead last summer, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) resurrected talks in secret…. Manchin played down his involvement in the IRA, [saying] there was no ‘deal’ with Schumer. Instead, Manchin said he provided ‘input’ that emphasized energy security amid the war in Ukraine — a goal he judged as a success a year later.” (“IRA Turns One,” Politico Pro’s Morning Energy, 7/27/2023)

“[Manchin] has grown disillusioned with the Biden administration’s implementation of its electric vehicle provisions, which he threatened to sue the administration over and join a Republican effort to repeal the law.” (“IRA Turns One,” Politico Pro’s Morning Energy, 7/27/2023)

‘Despite His Protestations, Manchin’s Cooperation Was Crucial To Passing The Law’

“Despite his protestations, Manchin’s cooperation was crucial to passing the law.” (“IRA Turns One,” Politico Pro’s Morning Energy, 7/27/2023)

• “The Inflation Reduction Act was the product of an unexpected deal between Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)…” (The Hill, 8/11/2022)

Indeed, Joe Manchin was the deciding vote in securing passage of the massive taxing and spending law he now claims he’s “grown disillusioned” with. (H.R.5376, Roll Call Vote #325: Passed, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting a ‘yea’ vote to break the tie, 50-50: D 48-0; R 0-50; I 2-0, 8/07/2022)

Last Year, Manchin Boasted That He ‘Wrote The Bill,’ Came Up With Its Misleading Name, And Repeatedly Issued Press Releases Touting ‘Manchin’s Inflation Reduction Act’

Manchin Claimed The Legislation He Deemed The ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ ‘Was Done Truly With Me And My Committee … We Wrote The Bill,’ ‘This Is Our Bill’

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “Well, let me just say this, that, first of all, the Inflation Reduction Act is truly -- was done truly with me and my committee. We wrote...”
FOX BUSINESS’ MARIA BARTIROMO: “You wrote it.”
MANCHIN: “We wrote the bill. And we did that because we had the expertise and the ability to do it. And I’m the chairman of the Energy Committee.” (Fox Business’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” 1/22/2023, Video Begins At 3:35)

• MANCHIN: “I’m excited about this bill that my staff and myself put together. This is our bill. This is a bill that we worked on.” (MetroNews’ “Talkline,” 7/28/2022)

• MANCHIN: “The name that I came up with was the Inflation Reduction Act…” (Sen. Manchin, Remarks, 8/16/2022)

MANCHIN: “I have pushed back on everything. And if you think I’m gonna roll over, I’ve been at this for forty years. I have never, ever been pushed into doing something I didn’t think was right for my state and my country.” (Fox News’ “The Faulkner Focus,” 8/02/2022)

BARTIROMO: “Senator, do you regret voting for that massive spending bill last summer? You were given a promise that your permitting would be in the bill. Chuck Schumer did not keep that promise. Do you regret it in retrospect?”
MANCHIN: “Well no, not at all. As far as the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ will be the most transformative bill that we’ve ever had in the United States, in Congress as far as I’ve been there because its energy security” (Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria,” 2/26/2023)

• “Mr. Manchin defended the Inflation Reduction Act, the climate and healthcare bill that Democrats passed last year, saying that it was an investment in U.S. energy resources and that it wasn't directed at competing with Europe energy markets. Mr. Manchin was a key writer of the legislation.” (“Joe Manchin Says U.S. Should Keep Increasing Oil, Gas Production To Help Allies,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/20/2023)

Manchin’s Own Press Releases Called It ‘Manchin’s Inflation Reduction Act’

MANCHIN PRESS RELEASE: ‘House Passes Manchin’s Inflation Reduction Act’ (Sen. Manchin, Press Release, 8/12/2022)

• “Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.” (Sen. Manchin, Press Release, 8/12/2022)

MANCHIN PRESS RELEASE: ‘Manchin’s Inflation Reduction Act Signed into Law’ (Sen. Manchin, Press Release, 8/16/2022)

• “Today, President Joe Biden signed U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 into law.” (Sen. Manchin, Press Release, 8/16/2022)

Manchin Called The Bill’s Signing ‘A Great Day’ And Even Attended The White House’s Signing Ceremony

Manchin attended the signing of the so-called ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ at the White House. (“President Biden Signs Inflation Reduction Act,” C-SPAN, 8/16/2023)

(“President Biden Signs Inflation Reduction Act,” C-SPAN, 8/16/2023)

MANCHIN: “This is a great day. This is a balanced bill … But what we ended up with is a balanced bill and the President mentioned energy security. Let me just tell you about energy security. You cannot be the superpower of the world, cannot be the superpower of the world if you aren’t self-sufficient with your energy and being energy independent. And that means you have to have a vibrant fossil fuel industry that’s able to produce the power that we need today…” (Sen. Manchin, Remarks, 8/16/2022)

Right After Providing The Deciding Vote For ‘Manchin’s Inflation Reduction Act,’ Manchin Toured West Virginia To Sell The Bill

(Sen. Manchin, Twitter, 8/19/2023)

AUGUST 11, 2022: MANCHIN: “Schumer didn’t have much input in this bill.”
HOPPY KERCHEVAL: “So it’s your bill?”
MANCHIN: “Well basically the energy part is. … We wrote, my staff worked for three months on the energy and permitting, and all that.” (MetroNews’ “Talkline,” 8/11/2022)

AUGUST 19: ‘Manchin Hosts Roundtable On Inflation Reduction Act Benefits For West Virginians’ (Sen. Manchin, Press Release, 8/19/2022)

• “Sen. Joe Manchin led a roundtable in Charleston on Friday featuring leaders in business, energy and senior issues to tout the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act. ‘I can be the hero and the villain in a 24-hour period,’ he told them, describing the path to drafting and passing the bill. It had to focus on energy issues while avoiding the inflationary money printing the dead Build Back Better would have spurred. ‘I named that one,’ he said of the IRA's title. Various analyses have concluded the IRA will have little to no impact on inflation, but Manchin said that if seniors are paying less for prescriptions, if more domestic energy is getting produced, if tax rates aren't hiked, it curbs inflation. ‘That's pretty simple.’” (“Manchin Hosts Charleston Roundtable To Tout Benefits Of Inflation Reduction Act,” The Dominion Post, 8/20/2022)

• MANCHIN: “This week, my office has connected with hundreds of West Virginians at @SFWV. We had the opportunity to share the facts on how the Inflation Reduction Act will help West Virginians. I am always thankful to hear West Virginians' common sense ideas and concerns.” (Sen. Manchin, Twitter, 8/19/2023)

AUGUST 22: ‘Manchin Speaks At Harrison County Chamber Of Commerce Annual Awards Dinner’ (Sen. Manchin, Press Release, 8/23/2022)

• MANCHIN: “From the new Aero Tech Park, to the more than $1 billion in economic output from the North Central West Virginia Airport; and from continued growth at the FBI center, to the booming oil and gas industry, Harrison County is a shining example for the rest of the state. I’m proud to have helped secure more than $50 million in federal funding for the region in the past year from the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, and I look forward to continued business success as the Inflation Reduction Act helps residents and small businesses in Harrison County and across West Virginia.” (Sen. Manchin, Press Release, 8/23/2022)

• “Harrison County is on the move, and I’m proud to be at the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner to celebrate the growth & development this area has seen & will continue to see thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.” (Sen. Manchin, Twitter, 8/22/2022)

SEPTEMBER 1: “Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito made appearances at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce 2022 Summit on Thursday, cordially airing their common interests and their differences. They gave separate presentations to the crowd of business leaders gathered at The Greenbrier.” (“Manchin, Capito Air Common Interests, Political Differences At WV Chamber Summit,” The Dominion Post, 9/02/2022)

• “Manchin again defended his support of the Inflation Reduction Act while Capito again panned the bill. Manchin said, ‘Putin has basically weaponized energy. We have the resources to be totally energy independent’ and help our allies escape Putin's grasp, he said. ‘That was the driving force: energy security.’ The bill had to pass without GOP support, he said, because while Republicans supported many of its goals, they opposed the pay-fors in it — the corporate taxes and the 87, 000 IRS agents. ‘The only way to get yourself out of inflation is you've got to work your way out of it,’ he said. The IRA will do more in the next 10 years to pave the pathway forward for energy security.” (“Manchin, Capito Air Common Interests, Political Differences At WV Chamber Summit,” The Dominion Post, 9/02/2022)

• MANCHIN: “I was proud to address business leaders from across #WV this morning at @WVaChamber’s annual Business Summit & celebrate the growth that will come to WV over the next decade thanks to the #InflationReductionAct. There has never been a better time to invest in West Virginia!” (Sen. Manchin, Twitter, 9/01/2022)

• MANCHIN: “I’m honored to speak with so many West Virginians today on the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act for West Virginia and the entire nation. For years, my Republican colleagues and I have agreed we must do something to pay down the national debt, increase domestic energy production, reduce our energy security vulnerabilities, and reform our infrastructure permitting process. This bill and our pending permitting legislation will do all of this, without raising taxes on working families. In a less politically divisive era, this bill would have overwhelming bipartisan support, but I am proud of our efforts to get this important legislation across the finish line to help West Virginians and Americans across the country.” (Sen. Manchin, Remarks, 9/01/2022)