What to Know in Washington: Court Ruling Has Dreamers in Limbo

More than 600,000 immigrants brought into the US illegally as children face yet another restart in their long-running legal battle to decide if the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that keeps them from being kicked out of the country was created legally. After a federal appeals court last night ruled against the Obama administration initiative, current DACA recipients will retain their status for now, and litigation will move back to a federal district court to weigh a Biden-era DACA regulation, Ellen M. Gilmer reports.

The ruling ratchets up pressure for Congress to pass legislation providing “Dreamers” more stable legal status. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on Republicans to work with Democrats on a solution.

While we will use the tools we have to allow Dreamers to live and work in the only country they know as home, it is long past time for Congress to pass permanent protections for Dreamers, including a pathway to citizenship,” Biden said in a statement on Wednesday night. Read more.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security is currently reviewing the court’s DACA decision, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said via his Twitter account, adding that DHS would work with the Justice Department on a legal response. Mayorkas said the department will continue to accept the filing of both initial and renewal DACA applications but process only the DACA renewal requests. Read more.

Biden Touts CHIPS Bill With IBM’s $20B Investment

President Joe Biden on Thursday will visit IBM’s campus in Poughkeepsie, New York, were the company will announce plans to invest $20 billion over the next decade toward research and development and the manufacturing of semiconductors, mainframe technology, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, Nancy Cook reports.

The trip is the latest by Biden to promote the Chips and Science Act, which provides $52 billion to bolster domestic semiconductor research and development.

With less than five weeks until the November midterm elections, Biden has been stepping up his travel to tout legislative victories, including the semiconductor subsidies and the Inflation Reduction Act — the Democrats’ climate, tax and health-care package.

CHIPS Act Opportunities for Federal Contractors: Federal contractors could soon see business and collaboration opportunities stemming from CHIPS Act funding (Public Law 117-167) come available as the Biden administration prepares to roll out the first phase of emergency funding provided by the law in spring 2023. Read more from Paul Murphy, Brittney Washington and Seemeen Hashem.

Happening on the Hill

Disputed Gas Pipeline Seen Surviving Without Congress or Manchin

Efforts to speed a long-delayed, overbudget natural gas project in Sen. Joe Manchin’s home state by revamping federal permitting rules will play out in agencies and courts for now, after Congress balked last month. But the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Appalachia could get the green light in coming months and go into operation by the second half of 2023.

• Manchin has said he’ll continue looking for ways to advance his legislation to streamline the energy permitting process after the provisions were omitted from legislation to keep the government open past Sept. 30. Read more.

Lag in Biden’s NIH Nominee Creates Tougher Confirmation Scenario

Whomever Biden puts forward as a nominee for the next National Institutes of Health director will likely face a tougher confirmation process than under the current Senate makeup, with Democrats in charge and a bipartisan pair at the helm of the committee that would need to shepherd that nomination through the chamber.

Elections & Politics

Republicans Bet Outside Money on New Hampshire Senate Race

Republicans are pouring money into a New Hampshire Senate race to bail out a nominee party leaders didn’t even want. Their candidate, Don Bolduc, a retired Army general, needs the money. He spent a little more than $100,000 to air his first TV ad on Tuesday, but his campaign committee likely can’t afford many more.

Cheney Says She’d Vote for Democrat in Arizona Governor’s Race

Liz Cheney said Wednesday night that if she lived in Arizona she would be voting for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Katie Hobbs, the secretary of state, over fellow Republican Kari Lake, who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Around the Administration

PRESIDENT’S SCHEDULE

• At 1:20 p.m., the president will tour IBM in Poughkeepsie, New York, then deliver remarks at 2 p.m.
• Biden at 5 p.m. will participate in a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee reception in New York, New York.

Army Says Its Climate Preparedness Lacking as It Details Upgrade

The Army isn’t in a strong enough position to respond to a changing climate or on track to reach its 2050 climate goals without careful planning, according to a military implementation plan released Wednesday.

Environmental Equity Screening Tool Weeks Away, CEQ Adviser Says

The Biden administration is weeks away from unveiling its first governmentwide screening tool for agencies to better focus their programs on communities that have long borne burdens from pollution, its top environmental justice adviser said Wednesday.

Foreign Affairs

North Korea Fires Missiles After Criticizing US Carrier Move

North Korea fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles toward waters where a U.S. aircraft carrier had been deployed, ratcheting up tensions in the region.

Saudi Arabia Enrages Biden and Aids Putin With Oil Output Cut

When Biden swallowed his pride and flew to Saudi Arabia in July to fist bump with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he expressed optimism that Riyadh would take steps to boost oil supplies “in the coming weeks.” Instead, less than three months later, the US president has got the opposite of what he was hoping for: a major oil production cut of 2 million barrels a day from OPEC+.

Oil Price Cap Plan Spurs Fear It Could Trigger Russia Output Cut

Russia could cut its oil production by as much as 3 million barrels per day if the European Union and US proceed with a plan to cap prices, market experts have warned.

US Denies Report of Plans to Change Venezuela Sanctions Policy

The Biden administration has no plans to change its sanctions policy toward Venezuela without positive actions from President Nicolas Maduro’s government, the National Security Council said after a report that the US would scale down restrictions affecting Chevron.

Blinken Comments on Baqer Namazi’s Release From Iran

Former US-Iranian detainee Baqer Namazi is now in Abu Dhabi after departing Iran for Muscat, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Secretive Chip Startup May Help Huawei Circumvent US Sanctions

When the US government blacklisted Huawei Technologies as a national security threat, it cut the Chinese company off from buying American semiconductors and other critical technologies. Now Huawei may have a path around those restrictions.

With assistance from Ellen M. Gilmer

To contact the reporter on this story: Katrice Eborn in Washington at keborn@bgov.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michaela Ross at mross@bgov.com