Vox Sentences - Can Dems deliver on climate?

Democrats forge ahead with reconciliation bill; the first grain shipment since the Russian invasion leaves Ukraine.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

All eyes on Sinema

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

• Senate Democrats are pushing ahead with plans to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, major new climate and health care legislation, this week. [The Hill / Mychael Schnell]
• The act would pump $369 billion into clean energy and climate initiatives and would lower prescription drug costs. It’s paid for by increasing corporate taxes and closing tax loopholes. [Politico / Burgess Everett]
• Democrats hope to pass it with a simple majority vote through the budget reconciliation process. That requires approval from the Senate parliamentarian and the caucus to stick together: The party has no votes to spare. [CNN / Paul LeBlanc]
• However, Democrats are still waiting to hear whether moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), who supports climate initiatives but opposes corporate tax increases, will back the package. [E&E News / Nico Portuondo, Jeremy Dillon, Nick Sobczyk]
• Negotiators also must overcome attacks from Republicans who falsely claim the bill increases taxes on many Americans. [New York Magazine / Jonathan Chait]

First grain shipment in months leaves Ukraine

• A shipment of Ukrainian grain left the port of Odesa on Monday, ending a months-long Russian blockade that threatened a global food crisis. [NBC News / Rhoda Kwan and Yuliya Talmazan]
• Under an UN-Turkey brokered deal, Ukrainian naval pilots will guide the ship carrying 26,000 metric tons of corn through the mined waters of the Black Sea to Istanbul for inspections, and then to Lebanon. [Washington Post / Dalton Bennet and Kareem Fahim]
• Since Russia’s invasion, Ukraine has been unable to export millions of tons of grain, fueling shortages in the Middle East and Africa. Sixteen loaded ships are now waiting to depart. [Guardian / Isobel Koshiw]
• While the UN hopes exports will return to pre-war levels, the fighting has significantly reduced Ukraine’s grain harvest this year. [CNN / Rob Picheta and Vasco Cotovio]

At least 35 people have died, and hundreds more are still unaccounted for in historic eastern Kentucky floods. [Courier Journal]

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to visit Taiwan on Tuesday despite warnings from the White House and Beijing that her trip could increase US-China tensions. [CNN / Eric Cheung, Kylie Atwood, Alex Rogers, and Kevin Liptak]
• Two people died on Sunday in a large wildfire in scorching northern California. [WSJ / Ginger Adams Otis]
• The NFL’s Cleveland Browns will suspend quarterback Deshaun Watson for six games without pay for violating the league’s sexual misconduct policy. [ESPN / Jake Trotter]

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“I’d say to Sinema, you’ve got no choice.”

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