'The executive branch doesn't write the bills': Democratic senator scolds Biden adviser over climate question

Gina McCarthy, President Biden's climate adviser, told Politico on Tuesday that some proposals to fight climate change could wind up falling out of the White House's massive infrastructure proposal as the administration tries to reach some sort of agreement with Republican senators.

While she said Biden does still want to fight for the policies, including a clean electricity standard, the acknowledgment of possible concessions didn't appear to sit well with Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), who strongly suggested he would fight back if McCarthy's words became reality. Schatz kept things simple in his response, tweeting a "gentle, friendly reminder" that Congress, not the White House ultimately pens the legislation.

Journalists took note of the remark, which raises the question of whether Biden's efforts to reel in some GOP support could simultaneously create some sticking points in his own party.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.