Congress May Be Out Of Time To Strike Deal On Permitting Reform

Lawmakers have only a few days left to strike a bipartisan deal overhauling federal approvals for energy and infrastructure projects, with the House already gone until after the midterms. The House passed its own permitting bill, the SPEED Act, 221-196 in December, with eleven Democrats joining Republicans and California Democrat Brad Sherman opposed. Written by Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman and Maine Democrat Jared Golden, it would rewrite National Environmental Policy Act reviews and curb litigation to speed approvals, but it has since stalled in the Senate. Environment and Public Works Chair Shelley Moore Capito says she is optimistic about a deal, while ranking Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse wants assurance both chambers can actually move an agreement. Maine Republican Susan Collins is pressing colleagues toward a compromise before senators leave to campaign, and Politico reported Senate Republicans planned to discuss Wednesday whether to cut their session short. Even a Senate deal would face hurdles: House Republicans, wary of accepting Senate changes and holding just a three-vote majority, have no plans to return to Washington before the election, Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman reported, citing senior GOP aides. Separately, Ohio Republican Jon Husted's bill shielding households from data-center-related infrastructure costs passed the House 417-3, but New Mexico Democrat Martin Heinrich blocked a Senate unanimous-consent vote on it. President Donald Trump has discussed the broader permitting effort with Senate Majority Leader John Thune as electricity demand tied to artificial intelligence keeps rising, according to Daily Caller.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Daily Caller’s reporting. Read the full story at Daily Caller →