U.S. House Passes SPEED, PERMIT Acts

The House passed H.R. 4776, the SPEED Act, on Dec. 18 with a vote of 221-196, the Energy Workforce & Technology Council reported. The legislation, introduced by House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), is the most significant permitting reform bill to pass the House in decades, according to the council. The legislation is intended to streamline federal permitting, create a workable National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) framework and help expedite large energy infrastructure project that are critical for the country to meet coming energy demand. 

“Passing permitting reform is no longer just an economic need, it is a critical national security issue. Over 5 years to permit a gas pipeline is not acceptable for the greatest country in the world. We must demand better. We thank Chairman Westerman and all those in the House who worked to make this happen, now our attention turns to the Senate. It is critical that the Senate take action as soon as possible so that we can get a package signed into law early in 2026. The American people deserve nothing less,” Energy Workforce President Tim Tarpley said.

Additionally, the Associated Builders and Contractors reported that the House on Dec. 18 also passed H.R. 3898, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act.

“The PERMIT Act and the SPEED Act rank among the most comprehensive permitting reform measures advanced by the House in the last decade,” said Kristen Swearingen, ABC vice president of government affairs. “By reforming provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act, these bills provide project sponsors and contractors with greater certainty to plan, invest and deliver even the most complex construction projects—certainty that is essential to meeting the nation’s infrastructure needs.”

The Energy Workforce & Technology Council recently joined with seven other energy trade associations on a joint letter to President Trump urging him to support quick passage of Chairman Westerman’s SPEED Act. Read the full letter here. Tags: SPEED Act