Jared Huffman

The Senate’s newly announced bipartisan permitting reform package is set to hit a wall in the House, where one Democratic committee leader is already raising red flags over the legislation.

House Natural Resources ranking member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) warned Wednesday most House Democrats will not support the Senate’s permitting legislation as written, urging them to resume negotiations after the midterm elections.

“The bottom line for me, and I believe most Democrats, is that November 3rd is coming and we are likely to soon have a far better negotiating position,” Huffman said in a statement. “Folding our hand now or in the lame duck makes no sense when we can keep working on this and, in a few more months, have a much better deal that works for everyone.”

Huffman is betting that Democrats will at least win control of the House and maybe the Senate, giving them greater leverage in negotiations with Republicans. He argues that lawmakers should push talks into next year. Even if Democrats gain control of both chambers, however, they would still have to negotiate with the Trump administration.