Manchin says OPEC+ decision to cut oil production shows US must emphasize 'energy independence and security'

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Joe Manchin said Wednesday the OPEC+ decision to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day shows that the U.S. needs to invest more in its own resources, a week after his energy permitting reform bill stalled in the Senate.

"Today’s announcement from OPEC+ confirms why the United States must be energy independent and energy secure so we cannot be intimidated by foreign adversaries," Manchin, D-W.Va.,told Fox News Digital. "We have been blessed  with an abundance of domestic energy resources, which we can produce cleaner than elsewhere in the world, and with that we have the ability to ensure energy independence and security for ourselves and our allies."

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He added: "This announcement should serve to further motivate my colleagues in Congress to come to the table to pass comprehensive, bipartisan permitting reform to lessen our dependence on these foreign nations."

Manchin made a deal last month with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to vote for Democrats' social spending and taxation bill in exchange for Schumer bringing energy permitting reform for a Senate vote. They intended to attach a permitting reform proposal from Manchin to a "continuing resolution" to temporarily fund the government until after the elections. 

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But Republicans angry at Manchin for backing the social spending and taxation bill, and progressives who don't want to make energy projects easier, joined forces against the bill. They had enough votes to prevent the funding bill from getting over the 60-vote filibuster threshold as long as Manchin's proposal was there. 

Manchin says he will continue to seek ways to pass permitting reform, and some senators believe the chamber could use the upcoming defense funding bill as a vehicle to do so. 

The permitting reform bill isn't the only major energy issue Manchin has taken up in recent months — and he's often been willing to criticize President Biden when other Democrats aren't. 

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"We can’t take this seriously enough," Manchin said at a March hearing featuring members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. "So to deny or put up barriers to natural gas projects and the benefits they provide while Putin is actively and effectively using energy as an economic and political weapon against our allies is just beyond the pale."

Days later at an energy conference in Houston, Manchin lit into Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Glick for allegedly slow-walking energy pipelines, demanding that Glick, "do your damn job."