"A top House Democrat will vote to block consideration of a must-pass defense spending bill if it includes permitting language that could undermine environmental protections.

The warning shot from Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, comes as congressional Democratic leaders are seriously weighing inclusion of a permitting provision in the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

His threat also illustrates the intensity of the continued left-wing opposition to the provision, which party leaders first sought to tack onto a stopgap spending bill in September at the behest of Grijalva’s counterpart, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)."

Emma Dumain reports for E&E News December 5, 2022. [2]