President Joe Biden wants to pass the largest anti-climate change initiative in U.S. history. That is, if he can get it through Congress.
Democrats are attempting to push two mammoth spending packages through the Senate at the same time—in the form of a bipartisan infrastructure deal, and a follow-up multitrillion-dollar plan intended to clear the Senate through a process known as “reconciliation.” But with only a razor-thin margin of control, Democrats have no room for error.
Videos by VICE
Failure could mean that the U.S. misses a key window to make a difference in the battle to slow and mitigate climate change, before more serious consequences set in.
And this D.C. drama falls against a backdrop of climate-driven disasters around the world, including deadly heatwaves in the western U.S. and Canada, massive flooding in Europe and wildfires in Siberia.
This week, VICE News’ video series The Couch Report breaks down what the D.C. drama means for the climate—and what the struggle to get the legislation through Congress reveals about the politics of fighting climate change in the future.
