Leader Scalise's stance supported: Reform needed in firearms licensing regulations
In the halls of Capitol Hill, a united front is forming as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle work towards streamlining the permitting process. The goal is to address critical challenges such as energy security, the global AI race, and economic competitiveness by building the necessary infrastructure for the nation's future.
The permitting process in America is currently broken, hindering businesses' efforts to innovate, invest, and build. Delays in the permitting process are affecting various sectors, including highways, housing, energy, infrastructure, and broadband expansion.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is leading the charge. She is preparing a comprehensive permitting reform package designed to speed up project approvals, limit repeated judicial reviews, and cover a broad range of infrastructure and energy projects. Capito emphasises bipartisan cooperation and insists reforms maintain environmental and public health protections without cutting corners.
In the House, a bipartisan bill called the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act has been introduced by Chairman Bruce Westerman and Rep. Jared Golden. This proposal aims to clarify ambiguities in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), streamline permitting timelines, and limit judicial review to reduce delays.
The Chamber of Commerce and its Permit America to Build coalition of nearly 350 organizations have been advocating for permitting system modernization for several years. The Chamber's Permit America to Build initiative calls for a comprehensive permitting reform package guided by four principles: predictability, efficiency, transparency, and stakeholder input.
These efforts show broad bipartisan support and are grounded on principles to make permitting more predictable and efficient, ensure transparency, and incorporate stakeholder engagement. Lawmakers stress that reforms aim to modernize and expedite permitting without weakening environmental safeguards, signaling a strong focus on balanced, durable legislation.
Congress is encouraged to enact durable, comprehensive reform that applies across sectors and withstands political shifts. The urgency to streamline permitting is reflected in the four principles, aiming to address delays, reduce costs, and enable timely construction of critical infrastructure.
While the specifics of the next infrastructure bill remain uncertain, one thing is clear: bipartisan permitting reform is currently advancing through legislative proposals and committee actions with a shared goal of making the permitting system more predictable, efficient, transparent, and inclusive while retaining critical environmental protections.
[1] Capito, S. M. (2021). Permitting Reform 2.0: A Comprehensive Approach to Modernizing the National Environmental Policy Act. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
[2] Whiteman, C. S. (2021). Permitting Reform: The Chamber's Call for Modernization. Global Energy Institute.
[3] Westerman, B., & Golden, J. (2021). The Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act. House Committee on Natural Resources.
[4] Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (2021). Modernizing the Federal Permitting Process.
[5] House Committee on Natural Resources (2021). Modernizing the Federal Permitting Process.
- The permitting process in America is hindering businesses' ability to innovate, invest, and build, with delays impacting various sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and broadband expansion.
- Senator Shelley Moore Capito is leading the charge for permitting reform, preparing a comprehensive package to speed up project approvals and improve infrastructure and energy projects, while maintaining environmental and public health protections.
- In the House, a bipartisan bill known as the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act has been introduced, aiming to clarify ambiguities in the National Environmental Policy Act and streamline permitting timelines.
- The Chamber of Commerce and its Permit America to Build coalition of nearly 350 organizations have been calling for permitting system modernization, hoping for a reform package that embodies predictability, efficiency, transparency, and stakeholder input.
- Lawmakers are stressing that the reforms aim to modernize and expedite permitting without weakening environmental safeguards, signaling a focus on balanced, durable legislation that applies across sectors and withstands political shifts.
- As the specifics of the next infrastructure bill are yet to be determined, it is certain that bipartisan permitting reform is advancing through legislative proposals and committee actions, with the shared goal of making the permitting system more predictable, efficient, transparent, and inclusive while retaining critical environmental protections.
